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  Tinubu offers lifeline to Dangote Refinery, NNPC to sell crude to it in Naira  President Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to sell crude to Dangote Refinery and other upcoming refineries in Naira. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a post via his official X handle on Monday. Onanuga stated that the move, which is to ensure the stability of the pump price of refined fuel and the dollar-Naira exchange rate, was adopted by the Federal Executive Council today.  Dangote Refinery, at the moment, requires 15 cargoes of crude, at a cost of $13.5 billion yearly. NNPC has committed to supply four. However, the FEC has approved that the 450,000 barrels meant for domestic consumption be offered in Naira to Nigerian refineries, using the Dangote refinery as a pilot. The statement added, “The exchange rate will be fixed for the duration of this transaction. “Afreximbank and other s...

 FBI to ask for Trump’s ‘perspective’ in shooting probe witness interview   Donald Trump has agreed to sit for a victim interview with the FBI, which is investigating this month’s attempted assassination, an agency official said Monday. Victim interviews are a routine part of criminal investigations, but are voluntary. “The interview of the former president will be consistent with any other victim interview that we do,” Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, told reporters on a conference call Monday. The FBI wants to “get his perspective on what he observed, just like any other witness to the crime.” “It is a standard victim interview, like we would do for any other victim of crime under any other circumstances,” Rojek said.FBI investigators continue to focus their efforts on uncovering the motive of the 20-year-old would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks. Crooks was “highly intelligent” and had a growing interest in shooting, Rojek sa...

 Tell your father Nigerians are suffering, VeryDarkMan tells Tinubu’s daughter Controversial social media critic, Martin Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has publicly criticised Folashade, the daughter of President Bola Tinubu, for telling Nigerians to let her father govern for three years before accessing his tenure. Folashade, the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, recently disclosed that Nigerians should be patient with her father while admonishing parents to stop their children from participating in the planned hunger protest scheduled for August 1 to 10. Responding in a video on Monday, VeryDarkMan expressed his disapproval of the Folashade’s statement while urging her to, in turn, beg her father to desist from plunging Nigeria into more woes. He argued that it was unreasonable to expect silence from the masses while the current administration exacerbates economic hardship. He maintained that Tinubu’s first year in office was the worst so far and emphasised the severe impact of ...

 PRESS RELEASE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE VIOLENT PROTESTS IN NIGERIA As Police Boss Rolls Out Negative Effects of Violent Protests The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, addressed the nation in light of the planned nationwide protests, emphasizing the severe negative effects that violent demonstrations can have on our society. In his address, the IGP highlighted several critical points that underscore the importance of maintaining peace and order during protests. "It is not only in Nigeria that there is hardship. It is a global meltdown. Is the government doing anything about it? Yes! This is what a responsive government will do," stated the IGP. He stressed that while the current economic challenges are not unique to Nigeria, the government is actively working to mitigate their impact and provide relief to the citizens. Reflecting on the 2020 EndSARS protest, the IGP remarked, "Where police stations were burnt down, criminals took ov...

 EFCC Arrests 11 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Uyo                                           Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, have arrested eleven suspected internet fraudsters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The suspects, made up of nine males and two females were intercepted and arrested along Ikpa Road in a fleet of cars following credible intelligence on their suspected  fraudulent internet activities, lavish lifestyles and naira spraying at events in Uyo metropolis. Cars recovered from them include: A Toyota Land Crusader Prado with Registration number: ABC 553 LD Abuja; a Toyota Camry LE with registration number: KKN 48 AE Akwa Ibom; two Honda Accord cars with registration number: LSR 754 AQ Lagos and LSR 475 FN Lagos respectively; a Toyota saloon registration number: RBC 1898J Abuja and a Lexus 300 saloon car ...

 EFCC Arrests Nine Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Abuja Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abuja Zonal Directorate, have arrested nine suspected internet fraudsters.   They were arrested on Monday, July 29, 2024  at Wuye axis of Abuja  following credible intelligence on their suspected involvement in internet-related fraud.   Items recovered from them include 19 phones, one car, four laptops and one iPad. The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.  

 Interpol Launches Silver Notices Against Money Laundering In its bid to frontally tackle the scourge of money laundering and illicit financial flows across the world, especially Africa,  the International Police Organisation, INTERPOL, has launched a new module codenamed Silver Notices. This disclosure was made in Abuja on Monday, July 29, 2024 by the Interpol Vice President for Africa, Garba Baba Umar, while declaring open a four-day Training Workshop for Nigerian law enforcement agencies at the EFCC Academy, Abuja. According to Umar, money laundering across Africa and the entire world has assumed a monstrous dimension and Interpol has designed Silver Notices to combat the menace. “Evidence has shown that every hour, hundreds of thousands of dollars are flowing out of Nigeria to the region and across the world, laundered before it reaches the pockets of criminals to enjoy the profits of their crimes, while the hardworking and honest Nigerians pay the price of crime” “With ev...

 A thunderstorm broke out in Pigeon Forge, Tennesee, on Sunday afternoon (July 28), causing a flash flood in Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park. Dollywood went on to state that it will support guests whose vehicles were affected by the flash flooding. The park intends to open at noon on Monday (July 29), which is two hours later than its typical opening time during the summer season. Dollywood stated that its officials will continue to assess conditions at the park as the day progresses. Any updates will be posted to the park’s official social media pages.

 Wrong national anthem played for South Sudan at Olympics. The Olympic organisers in France played the wrong national anthem for South Sudan ahead of the country's opening men's basketball game against Puerto Rico. Spectators in the Pierre Mauroy stadium on Sunday booed as the Sudanese anthem was played instead of that of South Sudan. The audio was corrected after a short pause, followed by an ovation from the crowd .  Watch video below. 

 The drowning of three students in the basement of an exam coaching centre in India's capital Delhi has sparked anger and protests. The students, all in their 20s, died on Saturday night after getting trapped in the flooded basement where they were studying. Police have arrested seven people, including the owner of the institute, and registered cases against them for causing death by negligence. The institute, Rau's IAS Study Circle, is one among several in the capital where thousand of students enrol to prepare for tough national exams. The three victims - Shreya Yadav, Tanya Soni and Nivin Dalwin - were studying for India's Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, which decide who becomes a civil servant, a much-coveted government job in India. But many of these institutes, which are run out of cramped buildings in residential neighbourhoods, are accused of routinely flouting safety norms. Since Saturday, authorities in Delhi have sealed about a dozen coaching centre...

 President Michael D. Higgins has led tributes to Irish literary giant Edna O’Brien, who has passed away at the age of 93. The novelist, who penned more than 20 books, including her groundbreaking The Country Girls, died 'peacefully' on Saturday in London following a long illness. Her literary agent, PFD, and publisher, Faber, confirmed the news, stating: 'Our thoughts are with her family and friends, in particular her sons Marcus and Carlo. The family has requested privacy at this time.' In tribute, President Higgins said she was 'a fearless teller of truths', and 'a superb writer possessed of the moral courage to confront Irish society with realities long ignored and suppressed'. He went on: 'Through that deeply insightful work, rich in humanity, Edna O’Brien was one of the first writers to provide a true voice to the experiences of women in Ireland in their different generations and played an important role in transforming the status of women acro...

 Stop criticizing BBNaija, fund your own shows – Woli Arole blasts Christians Nigerian comedian, Woli Arole, has blasted Christians who usually condemn popular reality TV show, Big Brother Naija, otherwise known as BBNaija. MAGIC FM reports that BBNaija Season 9 edition was premiered on Sunday, July 28th, 2024, stirring displeasure among many netizens on social media. Following the criticisms, Woli Arole in a post on his Instagram page on Monday, blasted Christians to stop labelling the show ‘ungodly’. He urged the Christian community to create their own ‘godly’ reality TV shows instead of complaining. pointing out that there are many Christian billionaires who could fund such projects. “Nobody should complain about BBNaija. Do your own Godly reality TV show! If you do not sponsor them, you can’t tell them how they should behave. There are Christian billionaires who can fund Godly TV shows. Period.”

 So Sad! Nollywood actress Uche Jombo reportedly loses younger sister Uche Jombo, a Nollywood actress, is going through a difficult period following the death of her younger sister. The actress and filmmaker published a photo of her younger sister on her Instagram page on Monday, explaining that she had become a wreck following the tragic news of her death. She wrote: ”My vacation ended on […] One more photo below. 

 Nigerians like to see people suffer” – Kunle Remi calls out civil servants and retailers Actor Kunle Remi seems to have gotten his last nerve ticked, as he took to social media to call out more than one set of workers in Nigeria. He calmly started his video by saying that Nigerians like to see people suffer, because that is when they get the satisfaction that they’re doing their jobs properly. The set of people that Kunle Remi hammered on the most were civil servants, as he went on to blast them for having people form long unnecessary queues outside their officers, over something that can be done within a short period of time. Going forward, Kunle Remi also called out fuel stations over scarcity of petroleum in their stations, and the queues that motorists are forced to form. Kunle Remi ended his video by saying that Nigerians don’t like it when their workplaces are quiet, and they derive joy in making everywhere rowdy.

 Akpabio Summons Emergency Senate Meeting Of ‘National Importance’ The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has called for an emergency meeting of the Senate. A circular seen by MAGIC FM and signed by the Clerk, Chinedu Akubueze on Monday, said the meeting was of “National Importance”. The internal circular did not give further details on the emergency meeting. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, just one day before the commencement of the nationwide planned protest against hunger and hardship. The memo wrote, “Dear Distinguished Senators, the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio, GCON, has directed that an emergency plenary sitting of the Senate be convened as follows: Date: WEDNESDAY, JULY 31st, 2024;  TIME: 12 NOON. “Distinguished Senators are requested to make all necessary arrangements to attend as issues of national importance will be discussed. We regret all inconveniences that this interruption of the recess will cause....

 Burna Boy to release seventh studio album at midnight Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has hinted at the release of a new album. The “Twice As Tall” crooner disclosed this in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday. He wrote: “Album dropping 12AM.” According to the Afrobeat superstar, the new album will be dropping on July 30. The announcement came after his recent celebration of the fifth anniversary of his Grammy-nominated 2019 album “African Giant”, which he marked with a concert at the Kolo Camden, United Kingdom. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the multiple award-winning artiste has continued to make headlines for being at the forefront of exporting Nigerian music with his award-winning albums and historic sold-out concerts In 2019, he won the Best International Act at the BET Awards and was named an Apple Music Up Next artist. He also released his fourth studio album, African Giant, which went on to win Album of ...

 Let’s Talk, Shun Hardship Protest, Wike Begs Youths  Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has appealed to youths in the nation’s capital not to join the planned August #EndBadGovernance protest against hardship and economic woes. The former Rivers State governor had last week said the FCT was not available for any protest, attracting a barrage of strong reactions from youths who vowed to stage a rally at Eagle Square come next month. However, the minister appeared to be soft-pedalling at a town hall meeting with youth stakeholders in the Bwari Area Council of the FCT on Monday when he urged them to talk about their grievances and shelve the planned nationwide protest. Area council chairmen, traditional rulers, religious bodies, representatives of women and youth groups were present at the meeting. In his welcome remarks, the FCT minister appreciated those present at the town hall for embracing dialogue, even as he maintained that President Bola Tinubu c...

  UPDATED:  The Nigerian Communications Commission has directed telecommunications operators to immediately restore all phone lines blocked due to non-linkage of National Identification Numbers to SIM cards. Phone line blockages not linked with August 1 protest — Telcos The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria has stated that the recent disconnection of SIM cards by mobile operators is unrelated to the planned national protest. A nationwide protest is set to commence on August 1 to draw attention to the country’s economic challenges and demand improved living conditions. The statement, obtained by The PUNCH on Monday, clarified that the disconnections are part of a scheduled exercise to align National Identification Numbers with SIM registration records, set to conclude on July 31, 2024. Initially planned for April 15, 2024, the disconnection was postponed to July 31 by the Nigeria Communications Commission following requests for extensions due to sub...

 Eight ‘Bandits’ Corpses Found In Kaduna  Eight corpses suspected to be those of bandits were found after troops raided some forests at Kurutu village near Azzara in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State. City & Crime had reported that soldiers raided two bandits’ camps around Kurutu and Hayin-Dam forests, which border Kagarko and Kachia LGAs of the state last Friday and several bandits were said to have escaped with bullet injuries in the area.  A vigilante from Kurutu, simply identified as Abdullahi, said the eight corpses were discovered on Monday around Hayin-Dam by some farmers in the area.  He said upon receiving the information, some vigilantes from both Kurutu and Hayin -Dam, mobilised to the forests to see the corpses.  He said, “On Monday, around 11am, some farmers who went to the farm, saw some corpses riddled with bullets suspected to be that of bandits that escaped with bullet injuries when soldiers raided their camps at Kurutu and Hayin-Dam on Friday.” ...

 Sudan war crimes panel registers 12,400 cases against RSF A Sudanese committee investigating war crimes said it has registered 12,400 cases against members of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), including the killing of West Darfur’s governor and attacks in other regions, according to Sudan Tribune. Governor Khamis Abubakar was killed on June 14, 2023, shortly after being arrested by the RSF, who released a video showing the desecration of his body. “The committee has registered 12,400 complaints, foremost among them the assassination of West Darfur state governor Khamis Abbakar, against 12 defendants,” Yasir Bukhari, head of the National Committee for War Crimes and Violations, said in a televised statement. Bukhari who is also Assistant General Attorney said the cases also included events in Zalingei in Central Darfur state, with accusations of infrastructure sabotage, killings, and looting, as well as events in El Geneina that resulted in 5,000 deaths and 8,000 injurie...

 South Africa's ANC expels former president Zuma from the party South Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma has been expelled from the African National Congress (ANC), the party he once led. The expulsion comes after the ANC announced it had suspended Zuma’s membership on January 29 this year, following Zuma’s declaration of support for a newly formed rival political party, uMkhonto WeSizwe Party (MK party), in December 2023. MK responded to media reports that Zuma had been expelled in a statement earlier on Monday, criticizing the ANC's process and condemning "grave injustices" against Zuma. "President Zuma will engage his legal team to urgently determine the course of action," it said. Mbalula said Zuma has 21 days to appeal the decision.

 We’ll Resist Moves To Topple Tinubu’s Govt – APC Chairmen of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have said they would not fold their arms and watch “undemocratic forces” overthrow the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the name of protest. Addressing newsmen at the APC national secretariat on Monday in Abuja, chairman of the Cross River State chapter and Secretary of the APC States Chairmen Forum, Alphonsus Ogar Eba (esq), who was flanked by his colleagues, said the planned 10-day protest is a move to topple Tinubu’s government. Daily Trust reports that various groups in the country are planning to stage a nationwide protest from August 1 to August 10 following the rising cost of goods and services, insecurity, food crisis, poverty and hunger in the country. But the chairmen warned that any violent protest would be counterproductive, adding that all structures of the party would be ...

   Hunger Protest Begins In Niger Some youths have trooped to the streets of Suleja in Niger State to protest the ongoing cost of living crisis in Nigeria.  They wielded placards such as ‘Enough is Enough’; ‘Stop Anti-Masses Policies’; ‘We Are Not Slaves In Our Country’; ‘Hardship Is Unbearable’, ‘Fuel Subsidy Must Be Back’, among others. The protesters marched on the streets as they chanted anti-government songs. Our correspondent caught up with some of the protesters on Abuja-Kaduna expressway axis of Suleja and attempted to speak with them but they declined. The Federal and State governments had made several efforts to stop the protest, saying it could be hijacked by hoodlums and enemies of democracy. Last week, Governor Mohammed Bago had wooed residents of Niger with welfare packages to prevent the protest. He had announced a N20,000 wage allowance for state and local government civil servants, ordered the immediate release of 50,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains t...

 S’court to hold valedictory session Aug 22 as CJN Ariwoola retires The supreme court has announced that Olukayode Ariwoola will retire as chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) on August 22. In a notice on Monday, Festus Akande, supreme court spokesperson, said a valedictory session would be held on the court premises in honour of the CJN who would be clocking the retirement age of 70. Akande also said the supreme court commenced its annual vacation on Monday, July 22 and will resume a new legal year on Monday, September 23, 2024. “The supreme court’s 2023/2024 legal year ended on Friday, 19th July 2024,” the notice reads. “The court proceeded on vacation on Monday,  22nd July 2024 and will resume for the 1st term 2024/2025 legal year on Monday, 23rd September, 2024.  “However, the valedictory court session for the retiring chief justice of Nigeria, Hon. justice Olukayode Ariwoola, GCON shall hold on Thursday,  22nd August, 2024. “The ceremony to usher in the 2024/2025 new ...

  Devil pushed me to kill my friend for ritual —Osun herbalist  A herbalist based in Oba-Oke, Osun State, Ganiyu Kehinde, arrested by the police for killing his friend, Emmanuel Collins, has said he committed the act in a bid to get human parts that would be used for money rituals. Kehinde was among the suspects arrested across the state for various crimes paraded by the police at Osun Command’s headquarters in Osogbo on Friday. Giving the facts of the case, Osun Police Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, said it was reported at Oke-Odo Division in Osogbo that a Ghanaian, Collins, aged 35, was killed by a yet-to-be-identified individual. “Police detectives swung into action, and through intelligence led to an investigation, one Kehinde Ganiyu ‘m’ intimate friend to the deceased was arrested. He confessed to the commission of the heinous crime and stated that, on 9th July 2024, at about 9:00 pm, he went to the deceased’s residence with a knife, where he met him sleeping bec...

 Palestinians forced to flee as Israel pushes into Gaza’s cities.. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says 86 percent of the Gaza Strip is currently under evacuation orders.  Thousands of Palestinians have been forced from their homes as Israeli forces mount a renewed push into densely populated cities in southern and central Gaza.. Residents said on Sunday that fierce fighting could be heard in eastern areas of the southern city of Khan Younis, where the Israeli army was operating. The attacks pushed thousands of families to leave their homes and head to overcrowded areas in al-Mawasi to the west or Deir el-Balah to the north.. Gaza’s health officials said military strikes had killed 66 Palestinians across the enclave in the past 24 hours as Israeli tanks pushed deeper into the towns of al-Karara (Kissufuim), az-Zanna, and Bani Suheila, in the east of the city..

Nigeria’s  D’Tigress defeat  world No.3 Australia to claim first win at Olympics in 20 years Nigeria defeated Australia 75-62  at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium on Monday, July 29. D’Tigress led 18-17 at the end of the first quarter, and the lead was extended to 41-28 by half-time.  Australia bounced back after the break, winning the third quarter 19-10, but Nigeria claimed the victory in the fourth quarter, winning 24-15 and sparking wild celebrations. Before today’s game, the four-time African champions had never won a single game at the Olympics in their previous two appearances. It’s the team’s first win in an Olympic match since Athens 2004 when they defeated South Korea in an inconsequential classification game after crashing out. The Australians were listed as third on the competition’s power ranking, while Nigeria was named 12th.  

  North Korea mobilises military for flood rescue Natural disasters have a greater impact on the isolated and impoverished North Korea due to its weak infrastructure.  North Korea has deployed military helicopters to bring thousands of people stranded in a flood-hit zone to safety.. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Monday that leader Kim Jong Un “personally guided” a military rescue – comprising 10 helicopters and naval lifeboats – shaking the hands of the pilots “one by one”.. However, Kim also reprimanded officials for their failure to prepare and respond to the recent torrential rains despite previous orders to enhance the country’s measures against natural disasters, the state media outlet said.. Last week, North Korea conducted a crisis response meeting to discuss strategies to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on agriculture..

 Dutch Prime Minister Praises UAE's Efforts in Extraditing Wanted Criminal Faisal Taghi    His Excellency Dick Schoof, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, has commended the UAE's efforts and security cooperation, through the Dubai Police, in extraditing Faisal Taghi, a high-value target criminal wanted by Dutch authorities.     Schoof further expressed his appreciation of the UAE and gratitude for the strong bilateral relations between the two nations.     Meanwhile, Dubai Police confirmed the arrest of Faisal Taghi, a 24-year-old Dutch national, who is wanted on an international arrest warrant for crimes including drug trafficking, money laundering, human trafficking, and leading the criminal organisation "Angels of Death." The arrest was made possible through Dubai Police's fruitful cooperation with Dutch police and Interpol.    His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, affi...