PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 NSUK student killed in foiled robbery attempt in Akwanga A 300-level student of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Mustapha Osama, was reportedly killed in a foiled robbery attempt in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The incident occurred on Friday night around 8 PM along the Gudi-Akwanga road, according to sources. Osama, who has been buried in Doma on Saturday morning according to Islamic rites, was said to have been hit by a bullet fired by the gunmen. A family source confirmed that the deceased was driving when he was struck by the bullet. The robbery attempt was thwarted by operatives of the Nigeria Police who responded immediately to a distress call, according to the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel.

 Transfer: Napoli ready to give PSG discount on Osimhen Napoli President, Aurelio De Laurentiis is reportedly willing to give Paris Saint-Germain a discount to facilitate Victor Osimhen’s move to the Ligue 1 champions. The Partenopei and PSG are currently locked in talks for the transfer of the striker to the latter. Osimhen has a €130m release clause in his contract. The staggering fee has scared away potential suitors. Napoli is, however, desperate to sell the Nigeria international to allow them bring in reinforcements for new manager, Antonio Conte. De Laurentiis, according to Corriere dello Sport, is ready to offer a minor discount on Osimhen’s €130m release clause to facilitate a deal with PSG. The forward has reportedly agreed to sign a five-year deal with PSG worth €14m net per season. ACCORDING TO ANOTHER SOURCE: Transfer: Osimhen to receive €4m salary increase at PSG Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen is set to receive a €4 million salary increase at Paris Saint-Germain. Tutto...

  Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced plans to create a Ministry of Worship starting next year. This new ministry will be included in the 2025 budget and will allocate specific funds to religious affairs. This announcement was made during a meeting with the "Jama-atoun nour assouniya" association, which is overseeing the completion of the Grand Mosque in Tivaouane. During the meeting, Sonko stated, "This ministry will facilitate better management of religious matters and enhance dialogue among various faiths."

 Palestinians urge world to end Israel’s illegal occupation after ICJ ruling Activists and legal experts in the West Bank say Friday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has found that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories is unlawful, will do little to improve life for Palestinians. Other states must now apply collective pressure on Israel to end its rule over Gaza and the West Bank, including annexed East Jerusalem, if the situation there is to change, they say.

 The African Tour de France cyclist racking up historic wins To his fans, he’s the “African king” - an international star and the first black African to win a Tour de France stage. Biniam Girmay did that not only once but three times this year at road cycling's premier event. Barring an accident, the 24-year-old looks set to win the green jersey on Sunday - a prize awarded to the best sprinter over the gruelling three-week competition. But Girmay's journey to the top has been riddled with obstacles - he has battled culture shocks, Europe's visa procedures and the loneliness of being thousands of miles away from his wife and young daughter. Now, he is embracing his role as a hero in his home country - Eritrea - and an inspiration for cyclists across Africa as a whole.

 Approximately 40 migrants have died after the boat they were traveling in caught fire off the northern coast of Haiti, the United Nations says. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that another 41 people were rescued by the Haitian Coast Guard. The vessel was traveling from Cap-Haitien to the Turks and Caicos Islands, more than 220 kilometers (137 miles) away, IOM said. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but a local official told Reuters that the people on the boat were lighting candles in a prayer ceremony for safe passage, which caused petrol-filled tanks to ignite. The injured are receiving care from IOM, and 11 of them were taken to a nearby hospital, the organization said. Tens of thousands of people flee Haiti every year, escaping poverty, unrest, lawlessness, and gang violence in their country. Armed rival groups took control of the capital, Port-au-Prince, earlier this year, forcing Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign several we...

Belarus sentences German man to death for 'terrorism' A court in Minsk ordered the execution of Rico K. after he was found guilty of terrorism and mercenary activities, a Belarusian rights group said. Belarus is the last country in Europe to apply the death penalty. A prison cell window behind barbed wire, in Minsk, Belarus, on August 18, 2010 The Viasna human rights group said Rico K. was convicted by a Minsk court at the end of JuneImage: Zuma Press/IMAGO A German man has been sentenced to death in Belarus over alleged crimes including "terrorism" and "mercenary activity", the Viasna human rights group said Friday. Rico K., aged 30, was convicted by a court in Minsk in a secretive trial at the end of June, the group reported. What do we know so far? AFP news agency reported that the conviction was said to be related to the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment, a military unit made up of Belarusian citizens fighting alongside Ukraine against Russia. The regiment is n...

 There was little to indicate what had happened on the fifth floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok until police officers opened the door. No-one was heard to scream, or had rung for help. No-one had even made it to the door. Even inside, there were apparently no signs of struggle - the untouched late lunch still laid out neatly on the table for the occupants to enjoy. From outside of Room 502, the only clue to the horror inside the locked room was the fact the group were late checking out of the hotel. And yet inside were six bodies, alongside tea cups laced with cyanide. It didn't take officers long to work out the occupants of the room had drunk the poisoned tea, or to find out who the apparent victims were. But days after police revealed the grim discovery, big questions remain: why them - and who did it? Before noon on Monday, Dang Hung Van ordered six cups of tea while Dinh Tran Phu, the make-up artist, ordered fried rice from their respective rooms. They asked that it be...

 Court Stops INEC From Releasing Voters Register For Rivers LG Polls Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the forthcoming local government elections in the state. Justice Lifu issued an order of interim injunction against INEC while delivering a ruling in a motion ex-parte brought before him by the All Progressives Congress. The motion ex-parte was filed on behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by a team of senior lawyers and brought under Section 13 of the Federal High Court Act, Order 26 Rules 1 and 3, order 28 Rules 1 and 2, and under the inherent jurisdiction of the court as enshrined in Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution. The judge also ordered the Rivers Electoral Commission and Rivers Attorney-General from receiving from INEC or using part of the National Voters Register relating to R...

 Reps Leaders Visit Dangote Refinery The leadership of the House of Representatives have visited the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, led the lawmakers who arrived at the refinery located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos around 11am. Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, and top executives of the refineries received the lawmakers. The lawmakers are expected to take a tour of the 650,000 barrels per day refinery during the visit. The visit marks the second time federal lawmakers will visit the refinery in two months. It also comes at a crucial time for the refinery, as it is scheduled to start the supply of petrol next month while also battling what it says are attempts by international oil companies to frustrate its access to crude oil needed for production. In June, Senate President Godswill Akpabio led the leadership of the Senate on a tour of the refinery, praising the project an...

 FG to spend N3tn on new minimum wage, pensions, gratuities The Federal Government is set to spend N3tn on the new minimum wage and the payment of pensions and gratuities. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, disclosed this on Friday during a meeting with the Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Olamilekan Adeola. The minister presented the general principles of the newly amended 2024 budget to the committee at the meeting. Recall that President Bola Tinubu had, after a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Thursday, approved a new minimum wage of N70,000 for Nigerian workers. The president also pledged to review the national minimum wage law every three years. The National Assembly, in both chambers, had on Wednesday passed for first and second readings an amendment of N6.2tn to the 2024 budget, increasing the budget size to N33.7tn. In a letter to the Senate, read in plenary by the Senate Presid...

  Deputy Governor of Edo State Philip Shaibu Dumps PDP for APC In a dramatic turn of events at a campaign rally in Edo State on Saturday, Deputy Governor Comrade Phillip Shaibu officially severed ties with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and announced his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Shaibu, recently reinstated following a Federal High Court ruling nullifying his impeachment by the Edo State House of Assembly on grounds of gross misconduct, made his allegiance clear alongside APC’s gubernatorial candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, and running mate Dennis Idahosa. At the rally, Shaibu not only pledged his support to the APC but also orchestrated a reunion with his political mentor, former Edo State Governor and APC National Chairman Senator Adams Oshiomhole. This move signifies a significant realignment in Edo State politics as Shaibu, buoyed by the court ruling, strategically positions himself within the APC ahead of upcoming electoral contests. The defection ...

 Okupe: Obi Was Nowhere When I Started Politics Doyin Okupe, a former director-general of the Labour Party presidential campaign, has claimed that when he ventured into politics in 1978, Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, was not known. In a video that has gone viral, Okupe said Obi’s presidential aspiration forced him to contest against Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, who he said brought him into national politics. Daily Trust reports that Obi, an ex-governor of Anambra State, defected from PDP to LP in the build up to the 2023 presidential election. The former DG of the Obi/Datti presidential campaign organization dismissed reports that he betrayed Obi, maintaining that he decided to withdraw his support for the LP presidential candidate because he was no longer interested in working with him. He said: “They said I betrayed Obi. No. How can I betray him? I started politics in 1978. Obi was nowhere else. My life and political ...

 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐢, 𝐎𝐛𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐬 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Nigerian doctor and visual artist, Dr. Fola David, has surpassed the existing record for the world's largest painting by an individual. On Friday, the fourth day of his attempt, David broke the previous record of 629.98 square metres, held by Ravi Soni from India, and has said that he is determined to attain his ultimate goal of 1000 square metres of art. In the course of his attempt, celebrities and dignitaries have visited David at the stadium to offer their support and witness his artistic feat firsthand. More photos below.

 Channels TV’s Seun Okinbaloye Not Sacked — Kperogi Contrary to widespread speculation on social media, Seun Okinbaloye, a prominent anchor with Channels TV, has not been fired from the station. This clarification was made by a Mass Communication professor and famous newspaper columnist, Farooq Kperogi, who spoke directly with Okinbaloye. Kperogi said he had an exclusive conversation with the television anchor on Saturday morning, who confirmed that he is currently on vacation in the United States and remains an employee of Channels TV. He quoted the popular broadcaster as saying “The whole story is fake news.” This development puts to rest the rumours that had been circulating online since, suggesting that Okinbaloye had been let go by the television station. Professor Kperogi’s confirmation has allayed the fears of fans and viewers who were concerned about the Politics Today’s anchor with Channels TV. Okinbaloye is a respected journalist and anchor, known for his in-depth analysi...

 EFCC Arraigns Forex Broker for Alleged N2 Billion Investment Scam in Uyo The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Friday, July 19, 2024 arraigned one Rufus John Isip, a self-acclaimed forex broker before Justice C. S. Onah of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Isip was arraigned alongside his company, ITM-IT Resources Limited on an eight-count charge bordering on fraudulent conversion, money laundering and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N2, 022, 081, 172 (Two Billion, Twenty-two Million, Eighty-one Thousand, One Hundred and Seventy-two Naira). Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Rufus John Isip while being the Director of ITM-IT Resources Limited and ITM-IT Resources Limited sometime in December 2020 and May 2021 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of (431, 331, 172. 00) Four Hundred and Thirty-one Million, T...

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES JUSTICE STELLA ANUKAM ON RE-ELECTION TO AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN RIGHTS President Bola Tinubu congratulates Justice Stella Anukam on her re-election as Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights for another term of six years. Justice Anukam was re-elected at the African Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting Executive Council in Accra, Ghana, on Friday. The Nigerian obtained her law degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife (formerly known as University of Ife), Osun State, Nigeria, in 1984, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in August 1985.  She is also a chartered secretary, chartered arbitrator, and seasoned administrator. Justice Anukam has served as former Director of Special Programmes at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies in Abuja, Nigeria, and as former Director of the International and Comparative Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Justice. President Tinubu commends Justice An...

 MAJOR GENERAL YAHAYA ASSUMES COMMAND AS THE NEW CORPS COMMANDER ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERS ........Tasks officers to drive the Corps to greater height Major General Baba Umaru Yahaya assumed Command of the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as the 43rd  Corps Commander Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (CCEME) on Friday 19 July 2024 at the Corps Headquarters Bonny Cantonment, Lagos State. The new CCEME, Major General Baba Umaru Yahaya, who took over command from his predecessor, Major General Hassan Gadam Tafida, expressed gratitude to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja NAM, for the opportunity to pilot the affairs of his corps. He affirmed his continuous loyalty to the COAS and the nation, as he resumes military duties in his new appointment.  He extolled the virtues and personality of his predecessor as a dedicated and selfless senior officer and a knowledgeable Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NAEM...

 DR Congo suspends mining in restive South Kivu province to restore order The governor of Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province has ordered the suspension all mining activities in the restive region, giving all companies and operators 72 hours to leave mining sites. Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki, said in the statement that the suspension until further notice, was due to "disorder caused by the mining operators." Many Chinese companies mine gold and other minerals in South Kivu, one of the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo that have been plagued by violence from armed groups for nearly three decades. In recent months, as the military battle the militias, the security situation has worsened. Attacks on quarries and mining cooperatives are frequent in the region as more than 120 armed groups compete for land and resources in eastern Congo. Earlier this month, a militia attack on a gold mine in the Ituri province in northeastern Congo ki...

 The Edo State Police Command has arrested a teenage boy, Arthur Angel Jr. for allegedly k!lling his 70-year-old father, Arthur Judah Angel over money in Ugboha, in Esan South East Local Government Area of the state. Arthur Judah Angel, an Anti-death penalty advocate and human rights defender, was k!lled on Sunday, July 14, 2024, and buried in a shallow grave behind his house.  According to punch, Angel, who was sentenced to death in 1986 for a crime he said he did not commit, used his foundation, Life Wire International Foundation, to fight for the use of the death penalty in the country. He travelled to over 15 countries to speak out against the d€ath penalty through his art exhibitions and drawings. The Spokesman for the Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday, July 17, said that a preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased’s son had threatened to k!ll his father before he hit him with a sledgehammer “On the 15th of July, 20...

 FG makes U-turn, sets 16 as minimum age for tertiary institution admission. The Education Minister Prof Tahir Mamman has walked back on his earlier statement directing the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to admit only candidates who have attained 18 years in tertiary institutions.  Mamman on Thursday, July 18, in an ongoing policy meeting organised by JAMB, in Abuja, announced that only applicants who were 18 years and above were eligible for admission. Stakeholders in the meeting kicked against his statement, noting that it is illogical for a 16-year-old student to pass WAEC, JAMB and be denied admission. The minister later accepted the suggestions of the stakeholders and agreed that students 16 years and above should be eligible for this year’s admission, while the 18 years age requirement would apply from next year.

 ACTDA Unveils Innovative Paving Stone Road Project in Amansea Community By Ukpa Ewa  The Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has successfully completed a groundbreaking 130-meter road in Amansea, Awka North Local Government Area. The road, constructed using paving stones, features a complete drainage system and solar-powered street lights.  This project is part of a broader initiative to enhance inner-city roads in the capital, introducing a new model for road construction that is both cost-effective and durable. Addressing residents of Amaowelle Village in Amansea during the commissioning of the project, ACTDA Managing Director, Mr. Ossy Onuko, emphasized the strategic importance of the project, which aims to experiment with the use of paving stones for road construction.  Inspired by successful implementations in other cities, Onuko stressed the project's potential to be replicated throughout Awka capital territory. Commending Mr. Onuko for the pr...

 I will pay new minimum wage —Adeleke  Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Friday pledged that his administration will not be among defaulters in the payment of the new minimum wage. Adeleke said after the National Assembly might have passed the bill and finalised with every other things on it, the state government would abide by the rule because “it has become a law”. The governor who made this known in Osogbo, through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, expressed commitment to implementing the N70,000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state. “Our governor is a lover of workers; his first agenda is to prioritise the welfare of workers both active and non-active. “Governor Adeleke will not be among defaulters of the new minimum wage. Osun State will never deviate from the law on minimum wage.” The governor stressed that the welfare of workers is a top priority for his administration and he will not deviate

 Bayelsa having eight LGAs while others have 44 is an injustice – Diri The Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, said the state has not been fairly treated in the creation of local governments. He insisted that it is an injustice that the state only has eight local government areas while others have as many as 44. According to him, Bayelsa deserved no fewer than 30 LGAs. Diri said this in a post he shared on his official Facebook page on Saturday. “In truth, Bayelsa State has not been fairly treated in the creation of Local Government Areas to the extent that today, we still have just 8 local government areas as opposed to some other states with 44 and 40 local government areas. “That to us is a clear injustice! And our position from the beginning of this discuss has been that states should take charge of the number of local governments they can create and cater for. “You don’t create local governments and take resources from one state to cater for the local governments in another...

 100 yam tubers sell for N1m in Kaduna ....We’re selling at a loss –Dealers Both the sellers and buyers alike are confused at the Bakin Dogo food market in Kaduna North Local Government Area, Kaduna State, as 100 tubers of old yam go for N1 million at wholesale. Meanwhile, the same number of new yams cost between 350,000 and 400,000 in the same market. One of the retailers in the market identified as Alhaji Abubakar, lamented his inability to recoup his capital let alone make any profit from the last 100 tubers he bought. According to him, “Honestly we are in big trouble. I have never experienced this type of market for decades. We are suffering too much this time around. “One Koriya (100 pieces) of big old yam is N1 million. More than half of the last ones I bought are still here because people are not ready to buy one yam for more than N9,000. “Imagine selling one yam for N10,000. Those who buy one or two are our regular customers who have built trust in us over a period of time....

 Arewa Youths Tell Tinubu Govt: No Going Back On Planned Protest On #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria The group also debunked the rumours making the rounds that it had shelved the mass action saying the information was false and misleading just as it called on Nigerians to ignore it. The Arewa Youth Ambassadors, a northern group, has vowed to continue with the planned protest scheduled to commence on August 1, aimed at expressing its dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s anti-people policies.   The group also debunked the rumours making the rounds that it had shelved the mass action saying the information was false and misleading just as it called on Nigerians to ignore it. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the National Coordinator, Yahaya M. Abdullahi in Abuja on Saturday.  The statement read “The narrative making the rounds that the Arewa Youth Ambassadors had shelved its planned protest aimed at expressing its dissatisfaction with President Tinubu’s anti-peop...

 Dubai Police Organizes Delightful Summer Activities for Students at Children's City The Dubai Police Positive Spirit Council, in collaboration with the Security Inspection Department K9, the People of Determination Council, and Children's City, organized a series of summer activities for male and female students at the Children's City. This event aimed to enhance communication with children and bring them happiness. The activities were attended by Lieutenant Colonel Salah Al Mazrouei, Director of the Dubai Police Security Inspection Department K9, along with several other members of the Positive Spirit Council. As part of the event, the organizers educated the students about the critical role of police dogs in law enforcement and their contributions to crime prevention and community protection. Fatima Bouhajir, Chairperson of the Positive Spirit Council, stated that the summer activities aim to bring happiness to the male and female students during their vacation, increase...

 BENUE: NEVKAA INSPECTS STUDENTS FLOODED AREAS, CALLS SEMA FOR INTERVENTION  The Principal Special Assistant to the Benue State Governor on Youth and Students Affairs, Hon. Nevkaa Jacob Ternenge, has called on State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to come to the aid of students affected in last night heavy downpour that flooded some parts of Makurdi metropolis.  Hon. Nevkaa made the call when he visited the State Emergency Management Agency to intimate the Agency of the havoc caused to students of Benue State University, Makurdi as a result of flood. The Benue Youth and Students Boss shortly after he paid an on-the-spot assessment visit to students areas called on SEMA to intervene swiftly to caushion the effect of the disaster by donating food items to students and residents of the affected areas. Responding on behalf of the Executive Secretary, the Administrative secretary Mr Donald Kongbenda, assured that plans were in the pipeline to donate food items to students a...