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 National Anthem: Nigeria’s name, flag should also be changed – Mike Ozekhome Rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Mike Ozekhome, has described Nigeria’s return to the old national anthem as a welcome development. According to him, the change of the national anthem was long overdue. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Ozekhome said he was elated by Nigeria’s return to the old national anthem, 10 years after he moved a motion for it at the 2014 National Conference. “Bringing the old National Anthem back is well overdue. It has better lyrics in content and context, like the Senate President said. It is better than the other one,” he said. “The name Nigeria and the flag should also be changed.”  President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed the National Anthem Bill 2024, into law to reinstate the old anthem, “Nigeria, We Hail Thee.”

 Bette Nash, Longest-Serving Flight Attendant in the World, Dies at 88 A Guinness record-holder, she started flying in 1957, and never stopped. Her regular route from Washington to Boston was nicknamed the Nash Dash. Bette Nash has passed away at 88,Serving nearly 67 years, Bette was the world’s longest-serving flight attendant, earning a Guinness World Record in 2022. Starting her career in 1957 with Eastern Airlines and later joining American Airlines, Bette was known for her dedication, warmth, and exceptional service.  She passed on May 17 after a recent breast cancer diagnosis. American Airlines and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants honor her incredible legacy. An inspiration to us all, not only flight attendants, Bette. You will be missed.

 PRESS RELEASE NPF MAKES SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN CRIME REDUCTION, ROLLS OUT ONE YEAR CRIME ACHIEVEMENTS OF IGP EGBETOKUN As the nation marks the first-year anniversary of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, the Nigeria Police Force has spared no effort in ensuring that crimes and criminality is reduced to its barest and this has led to salient and significant progress in the fight against all forms of crimes in the country as the Police has intensified its operations and made remarkable strides in ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians. In the past one year, the Police has successfully apprehended 4,826 armed robbery suspects, 3,078 kidnapping suspects, 2,479 suspects for rape/sexual crimes, 1,243 suspects for unlawful possession of firearms, 3,523 suspects for cultism, 3,381 suspects for murder/homicide, 13,402 suspects for other offenses. Our operations has also led to the rescue of 1,750 kidnap victims, the recovery of a significant cache of illegal items, i...

 Osun artisan arrested for stealing dead herbalist’s TV, cooking pots A 24-year-old bricklayer, Adedapo Ayobami, resident of Oja Oba Area, Osogbo, Osun State capital, has been arrested for allegedly breaking into the house of a herbalist (name not given) where he stole some electronic appliances and kitchen utensils. The suspect was reportedly arrested by the operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command around Osunjela community during a routine patrol. In a release signed by the spokesperson for the command, Kehinde Adeleke, obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday, the Osun NSCDC Commandant, Dr. Michael Adaralewa, while giving further details about the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the suspect, said Ayobami, in his confessional statement, explained that before his death, the herbalist had given him a spiritual soap meant to improve his (Ayobami’s) financial status. Ayobami also informed the investigators that the herbalist told him he would be c...

 FG intervenes as Nigerian students in UK varsity face deportation The Federal Government has stepped in to address the recent deportation orders issued against some Nigerian students at Teesside University in the United Kingdom. A delegation led by a representative of the Nigerian Embassy in the UK, Ambassador Christian Okeke, along with leaders of the Nigerian Students Union in the UK, will meet with the university’s management to seek a resolution. This decision follows a virtual meeting chaired by the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and attended by Okeke, the President of the Nigerian Students Union UK, Yemi Soile, and several affected students. The meeting was held on Sunday. The NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, confirmed the planned intervention in a statement on Wednesday. According to Balogun, during the meeting, the students described their experiences and expressed hope for a favourable outcome. Dabiri-Erewa urged the studen...

 GOV. SANWO-OLU OFFICIALLY COMMISSIONS 15 NEWLY ACQUIRED FERRYBOATS AT BADORE FERRY TERMINAL, LEKKI, ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 29, 2024  Today, I’m proud to announce the launch of 15 high-capacity, locally fabricated boats, marking a significant step towards revolutionizing transportation in Lagos State. This initiative not only enhances our waterways but also showcases our commitment to sustainable, efficient, and reliable transport options for all Lagosians. These new ferries, fabricated in partnership with Caverton Marine, are designed to carry 40 passengers each, doubling the capacity of our existing vessels. This project marks the beginning of a new era in water transportation, offering a faster, cleaner, and more comfortable commute. The deployment of these ferries underscores our dedication to reducing traffic congestion and improving connectivity between communities. By saving hours lost in traffic, we are boosting economic prosperity and enhancing the quality of life for our ...

PRESS RELEASE ARREST OF A SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBER/CULTIST AND RECOVERY OF ONE BERETTA PISTOL ARREST OF A SUSPECTED CULTIST, RECOVERY OF ONE AUTOMATIC PUMP ACTION GUN AND FIFTEEN CARTRIDGES ARREST OF A SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBER AND RECOVERY OF ONE LOCALLY MADE DOUBLE BARREL PISTOL CP Abaniwonda Olufemi urges youths in the state to shun of form of crime and stay away from cultism. 1. ARREST OF A SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBER/CULTIST, RECOVERY OF ONE BERETTA PISTOL: Acting on revelations by some of the suspects arrested in connection to kidnapping and cultism by the command’s special squad deployed to Ughelli, on 24/05/2024 at about 1635hrs, the special team led by ASP Julius Robinson trailed and arrested one Emmanuel John   Aisewowhion  ‘m’ a.k.a “Small Juju“ aged 34yrs, a native of Ewohimi community Esan-South East LGA  of Edo State, but resident at Uwagba Community in Okpe LGA, Delta State. One  Beretta pistol was recovered from his house and investigation further revealed...

 SpaceX Falcon 9 launches EarthCARE satellite to study heating and cooling in Earth's atmosphere SpaceX Falcon 9 launched the Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) satellite to low-Earth orbit on Tuesday from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. EarthCARE's mission, developed by the European Space Agency and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, is to study the role that clouds and aerosols play in heating and cooling Earth's atmosphere, according to the ESA. This was the seventh flight for the Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, according to SpaceX. Earlier on Tuesday, another SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

 Gov. Fubara Approves Posting of 8 Newly Appointed Commisioners To Their Different Ministries. GOVERNMENT OF RIVERS STATE OF NIGERIA Office Of The Secretary To The State Government May 28, 2024 GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has approved the posting of the newly appointed Commissioners to their respective Ministries as follows: (1) Prince Charles E. O. Beke Ministry of Local Government Affairs (2) Collins N. Onunwo Ministry of Transport (3) Solomon Abel Eke Ministry of Power (4) Dr. Peter N. Medee Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning (5) Olisaelloka Tasie-Amadi Ministry of Works (6) Engr. Basoene Joshua Benibo. Ministry of Housing (7) Tambari Sydney Gbara Ministry of Environment (8) Dr. Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma - Ministry of Education This posting takes immediate effect. Dr. Tammy Wenike Danagogo SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT

 KIM JONG UN DROPS HUNDREDS OF BALLOONS FILLED WITH FAECES AND TRASH ONTO SOUTH KOREA IN RETALIATION FOR PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS SCATTERED OVER NORTH KOREA (PHOTOS) North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un has dropped at least 260 white balloons filled with 'filthy waste and trash' onto South Korea in retaliation for leaflets scattered over North Korea amid an ongoing propaganda war between the two nations.  The balloons appeared to have been carrying various items of rubbish, including plastic bottles, batteries, toilet paper, and what is believed to be manure, an official of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Authorities have urged South Korean residents to stay indoors as a result after the balloons began to fall from the sky late on Tuesday. This comes just days after Kim Kang-il, a North Korean defence vice-minister, warned that the regime would retaliate in response to anti-North Korean leaflets flown across the border by South Korean activists.  'Mounds of wastepaper and filth wi...

 NOTORIOUS TERRORISTS COMMANDER LAWAL KWALBA SURRENDERS TO TROOPS IN KADUNA In a significant victory for the Nigerian Army counter-terrorism efforts, a notorious terrorist commander known as Lawal  Kwalba has surrendered to troops. The suspected terrorists' commander turned himself in on Thursday, 28 May  2024, following intensified military operations targeting terrorists enclaves in Kaduna State. The troops'  relentless operational  activities  have been pivotal in pressuring terrorist factions, leading to Kwalba's decision to surrender with his fighters . This development marks a crucial step in the ongoing fight against terrorism in Kaduna State and the broader region. During the surrender, troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, a motorbike, and two magazines loaded with 7.62 mm Special ammunition from the terrorist surrenderee. Kwalba is currently undergoing thorough profiling at a military facility. This process is expected to provide valuable insights th...

 EFCC Arraigns One for Alleged Currency Racketeering in Enugu The Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 arraigned one Nwachukwu Ifeanyi, before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu State. Ifeanyi was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on currency racketeering and operating a bureau de change business without an appropriate licence. Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Nwachukwu Ifeanyi, sometime in February 2024, at Douglas Road, Owerri, imo State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, hawked the total sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000. 00) mints in Five Hundred Naira (500) denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21 (4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 21 (1) of the same Act”. He pleaded “not guilty” when the charges ...

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU INAUGURATES NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LIBRARY, CALLS FOR COLLECTIVE ACTION ON UNITY President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday in Abuja, inaugurated the National Assembly Library and Resource Centre, which is named in his honour. Before the inauguration of the library, the President had briefly attended a commemorative sitting of the National Assembly, where he made extemporaneous remarks. President Tinubu, who had signed the National Anthem Bill, 2024, into law at the Presidential Villa earlier on Wednesday, said he was at the National Assembly as a mark of respect, and to congratulate the legislators and Nigerians on the 25th anniversary of Nigeria's unbroken democracy. He extended his gratitude to the lawmakers and acknowledged the efforts and sacrifices made to build and sustain the country's democratic institutions. "Our friends, old and new, to every Nigerian I say congratulations on 25 years of unbroken democracy. Out of respect, I have ...

 'General Hospital' actor Johnny Wactor's official cause of death revealed: coroner "General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor's official cause of death has been revealed by the coroner's office. The County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner concluded that the manner of death was a "homicide" and the direct cause was a "gunshot wound to the chest." In a press release obtained by Fox News Digital on Tuesday, the LAPD said Wactor was "confronted by three individuals" in the early hours on May 25. Wactor had just ended a bartending shift and noticed these individuals had his car "raised up with a floor jack and were in the process of stealing the catalytic converter." Wactor was shot and killed by one of the individuals.  According to the release, "Los Angeles Police Department, Central Area officers responded to a radio call of an Assault with a Deadly Weapon-Shooting in the 1200 block of Hope Street. Upon officers’ arri...

 Florida officers 'arrest' nuisance alligator at 104-year-old woman's home Florida officers recently made a wild "arrest" at the home of a 104-year-old woman who was visited by a 5-foot-long reptile. Officials with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office posted the video of the incident on Facebook after two officers received a call asking for a nuisance alligator to be removed from the resident's property. "The citizen was noted to be afraid to leave her house due to the alligator and called for police services," the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office PIO told Fox News Digital. The encounter had the officers making humorous remarks to the gator. "Oh, hey buddy!" Officer Jeff Kopp can be heard saying as the alligator swats its tail in an attempt to break free. A licensed trapper was notified and assisted the Jacksonville officers with the reptile's removal, the PIO said. "We can't cuff him," Kopp joked. "You are under ar...

  MAY 30: ENUGU GOVERNOR PETER MBAH WARNS IPOB OVER SIT -AT-HOME ORDER, SAYS WAEC EXAMS CAN'T WAIT IN SOUTH-EAST.  IPOB, a pro-Biafra group and other pro-Biafra agitators had warned the management of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Anambra State against holding its convocation ceremony on May 30. The Governor Peter Mbah-led Enugu State Government has condemned what he described as an attempt to scuttle the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in the state on Thursday, May 30, 2024. SaharaReporters reported on May 28 that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) reiterated that the May 30 sit-at-home exercise across South-East Nigeria 🇳🇬 would be held as planned.

Cervical cancer: No husband will lose wife again in Anambra, say Soludo’s wife …as WHO says Africa has highest issue of cervical cancer Dr. Nonye Soludo, the wife of the Anambra state governor, has said that cervical cancer would soon be eradicated in Anambra State through the introduction of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, aimed at protecting girls and future leaders from the disease. Speaking in Aguleri, Anambra East local government area, at the launch of the HPV vaccine on Tuesday, May 28, Mrs. Soludo assured that no husband would lose his wife, nor any child be rendered motherless due to cervical cancer in the state. She lamented that cervical cancer, a growing societal scourge, is becoming one of the leading causes of death among women, affecting about 12,000 women and claiming 8,000 lives annually in Nigeria. She said: “This disease destroys the lives of these women taking them away from their families just as they reach the prime of their lives, leaving husbands withou...

 Actor Mofe Duncan marks 41st birthday Actor Mofe Duncan is celebrating his 41st birthday today with gratitude.  The renowned actor took to his Instagram page to share a photo, capturing the essence of the day and expressing gratitude for the journey so far. In the heartfelt post, Duncan reflected on the transformative power of time, emphasising that a lot can happen within a single year, let alone over four decades. He shared his appreciation for the experiences and growth he has encountered, acknowledging that each year brings its own set of challenges and triumphs. The actor then extended warm wishes to himself, celebrating what he considers to be the best version of himself yet. He wrote: “41, A lot can happen in ONE YEAR, now imagine what can happen in FORTY-ONE!. Happy Birthday to the best version of myself yet…”

FG withdraws terrorism charge against Miyetti Allah leader, Bodejo In a dramatic turn of events, the Federal Government has opted to withdraw the alleged terrorism charge leveled against Alhaji Bello Bodejo, the President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Kore. The surprising announcement was made during a hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday. Prosecuting lawyer, Mrs. Aderonke Imana, delivered the unexpected news, stating, “Consequently, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation has instructed me to withdraw this charge against the defendant in the interest of justice.” Imana’s oral application, made pursuant to Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 and the powers vested in the Attorney General of the Federation under Section 174 of the Constitution, marked a significant shift in the legal proceedings. Responding to the prosecution’s application, Defense lawyer Ahmed Raji, SAN, expressed gratitude for the Attorney General’s decision, sta...

 Actress Luchy Donalds acquires new mansion in Lagos Actress Luchy Donalds has announced her arrival and relocation to Lagos with a new mansion  The dark-skinned movie star expressed gratitude to God for making it possible to relocate to Lagos and own a house.  Congratulating herself, she made it known that God made it possible for her. “Finally decided to move to Lagos. Grateful and thankful to God for making it possible for me to relocate straight into my own personal home and not rent, God did it. Congratulations to me,” she wrote.  Colleagues and fans flooded her comment section to rejoice with her.  Onyi Alex stated: “LD to the world. Wow this is huge. Congrats. More wins, beautiful birthday gift.” Georgina Ibeh said: “Congratulations baby girl. Way to go have.” Nuella Njubigbo rejoiced: “LD to the toppest toppest top. God is good.” Christabel Egbenya wrote:“Congratulations darling.”

 ‘An obnoxious law’ — Ezekwesili says she’ll continue to sing former national anthem    Obiageli Ezekwesili, former minister of education, says she will not recite the reintroduced old national anthem. The old national anthem is themed ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ while the one used since 1978 is titled ‘Arise, O Compatriots’. The house of representatives speedily passed the bill on May 23, while the senate on Tuesday also passed the bill on Tuesday during a public hearing. Julius Ihonvbere, the lawmaker who sponsored the bill, anchored his argument on the need for patriotism and nationalism among citizens. On Wednesday morning, President Bola Tinubu signed the bill and was welcomed to the floor of the green chamber to the tune of the reintroduced national anthem. Ezekwesili, who described the law as repugnant, said she would continue to sing the former 46-year-old anthem. “Let it be known to all and sundry that I, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili will whenever asked to sing the Nige...

 Tinubu Approves Free Ride On Abuja Metro Rail Till December 31 President Bola Tinubu has approved free ride on the newly commissioned Abuja Rail Transport System till the end of the year. Speaking during the commissioning of the project in Abuja on Wednesday as part of the commemoration of his one year in office, Tinubu hailed Nyesom Wike, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, for what he described as the “speedy completion of the project”. Before now, Wike had announced that the Abuja Light rail will operate freely for two months. Wike stated this during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja. He had said the free rides would commence on Tuesday, adding that it is part of the president’s renewed hope agenda for residents of the FCT. However, during the commissioning Ceremony the President said the free ride will last till the end of the year.

 Kate Middleton ‘turned a corner’ with cancer treatment during ‘worrying time': report Kate Middleton has "turned a corner" with her cancer treatment as the Princess of Wales continues her recovery behind palace doors. The claim was made by an unnamed pal to Katie Nicholl, royal author and Vanity Fair correspondent. According to the insider, the mother of three has been healing away from the public eye and the course of her preventative chemotherapy has been successful. "It has been a great relief that she is tolerating the medication and is actually doing a lot better," the royal’s family friend claimed to Vanity Fair. "It has, of course, been a very challenging and worrying time," said the source. "Everyone has rallied around her – [her husband] William, her parents, and her sister and brother." While the 42-year-old has been briefed on a new report from her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, sources told the outlet the princess i...