PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE WE’RE BUILDING A STRONG FINANCIAL SYSTEM, BUSINESS-FRIENDLY ECONOMY, PRESIDENT TINUBU SAYS AS COCA-COLA ANNOUNCES $1BILLION INVESTMENT IN NIGERIA   President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to creating a robust financial system and a business-friendly economy that will attract more foreign direct investments.    The President made the commitment on Thursday in Abuja, as the Coca-Cola Company announced plans to invest $1 billion in Nigeria over the next five years.    The announcement was made at a meeting between the President and the global leadership team of Coca-Cola Company, led by Mr John Murphy, its president and chief financial officer, and the Chairman of Nigerian Bottling Company, Ambassador Segun Apata.    President Tinubu commended Coca-Cola for its long-standing partnership with Nigeria and for promoting investment opportunities that have employed over 3000 people across nine production facilities.    ''We are bu

  Jega submits report on livestock reforms to Tinubu Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega on Thursday, submitted a report recommending ways to transform the livestock sector in Nigeria to President Bola Tinubu. Jega was appointed the co-chairman of the presidential committee on the implementation of livestock reforms by the Tinubu-led administration in July this year. More details later…

 You caused Labour Party’s crisis – Chieftain, Olorunfemi, slams INEC The Deputy National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Ayo Olorunfemi, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of instigating a crisis in the party in the wake of its leadership tussle. Olorunfemi said this on Thursday. He said it was not the duty of INEC to conduct elections for political parties if the tenure of their National Working Committee, NWC, expires. According to him, the electoral umpire ignored the Labour Party when the party sent a letter inviting them to its national convention. His comment came after INEC accused the party of not following the Electoral Act for its national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State in March 2024. This is coming after the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, earlier clarified that the constitution of the party, and not an individual removed Julius Abure as the national chairman. Olorunfemi further expressed the measures

 POLICE COMMENCE INVESTIGATION INTO VIDEO OF POLICE OFFICER IN ALTERCATION WITH ELDERLY WOMAN The Lagos State Police Command has commenced investigation into circumstances leading to the altercation captured on video between a police officer and an elderly woman. Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident took place in Alagbado area of Lagos State in the first week of September, 2024.  The Police Inspector and his supervising DSP have been brought in for questioning while the Complaint Response Unit has established contact with the woman in the video.  The Lagos State Police Command totally condemns the unprofessional conduct of the Inspector as it does not represent the ethics and operational standards of the Nigeria Police Force. The Command equally assures Lagosians that the investigation.  will be swift, thorough and conclusive, while ensuring that the officers are disciplined as appropriate and members of the public are updated accordingly.  SP BENJAMIN HUNDEYIN, anipr, m

 STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT VICE PRESIDENT SHETTIMA TO LEAD  NIGERIA'S DELEGATION TO 79th UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY   President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York this year.    The President has thus directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria's delegation.    President Tinubu, who returned to the country last Sunday after his trip to China and the United Kingdom, wants to focus on domestic issues and address some of the country's challenges, especially after the recent devastating flooding.   At UNGA 79, Vice President Shettima will deliver Nigeria's national statement to the General Assembly, attend important sideline events, and hold bilateral meetings.   The high-level General Debate, with the theme "Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations," will run from Tuesday, September 24, th

 Gabon's Ali Bongo Announces Permanent Exit from Politics, Pleads for Family's Release Former Gabonese president Ali Bongo Ondimba, ousted in a military coup last year, has declared his retirement from political life and appealed for leniency towards his imprisoned wife and son, who he claims are enduring violence and torture. Bongo, who ruled the oil-rich Central African nation for 14 years before being deposed in August last year, was removed from office by military leaders just after being declared the victor of a controversial presidential election. His family had governed Gabon for 55 years. Since his ousting, the 65-year-old has resided at his private estate in Libreville, the nation’s capital. According to the government, Bongo is free to leave the country, but he remains under strict surveillance. In a statement shared with the media late Wednesday, Bongo said, “I would like to reaffirm my withdrawal from political life and the definitive renunciation of any national am

 Israel bombs Lebanon after radio blasts, says it thwarts assassination plot Israel bombed southern Lebanon on Thursday and said it had thwarted an Iran-backed assassination plot, a day after explosions of Hezbollah radios that came on the heels of blasts in booby trapped pagers, setting the foes hurtling towards war. The sophisticated attacks on communications equipment used by Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah have sown disarray in Lebanon, and are increasingly viewed as heralding a return to all-out war, last fought 18 years ago. Hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated on Wednesday across Lebanon's south in the country's deadliest day since cross-border fighting erupted between the militants and Israel in parallel with the Gaza war nearly a year ago. The previous day, hundreds of pagers - used by Hezbollah to evade mobile phone surveillance - exploded at once, killing 12 people including two children, and injuring nearly 3,000. Israel has not commented directly on the a

 FG To Nigerians: Lagdo Dam Water Has Been Released, Relocate From Floodplains The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), on Thursday, said water from the Lagdo Dam in neighbouring francophone country, Cameroon, has been released into River Niger and River Benue in Nigeria’s North Central. The Agency warned Nigerians resident in floodplains to relocate immediately to safe spaces in anticipation of attendant floods that annually come with the release of water from the Lagdo Dam. NIHSA Director-General, Umar Mohammed, issued this warning on Thursday. Mohammed said his Agency met with the authorities in Cameroon and agreed that water from the Lagdo Dam be released “intermittently” for the River Benue and River Niger in Nigeria to be able to contain the volume of water to avoid flooding in 11 states at risk. “The situation is that water from Cameroon’s Lagdo Dam has been released already since yesterday (Wednesday) and there is an agreement that the w

 Haiti sets up council to prepare for first elections since 2016 Haiti’s government has set up a provisional electoral council to prepare the troubled Caribbean country for its first general elections since 2016. The electoral council represents groups including farmers, journalists, human rights activists and the Vodou community and is tasked with setting up a legal framework for elections and organising the poll, which is due to be held by 2026. The newly created council has seven members, according to the prime minister’s office, Al Jazeera reported. Two other seats, one for human rights groups and another for women’s rights organisations, still lack a delegate, the office added. Smith Augustin, a member of the country’s transitional presidential council, told The Associated Press news agency that the remaining members would probably be announced in the coming days. By law, the council must have nine members. Haiti’s shaky political situation has been exacerbated by a power that eme

 Minimum wage: You risk jail term, FG warns employers paying below N70,000 The Federal Government has warned private-sector employers paying below the new N70,000 minimum wage to desist from the act. Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, gave the warning, on Wednesday, in Lagos, while speaking at the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria. Abubakar, represented by John Nyamali, Director of Employment and Wages of the ministry, said minimum wage is now a law. He said: “The minimum wage is now a law, and as a result, it is a punishable crime for any employer to pay less than N70,000 to any of its workers. “The private employment agencies should make it compulsory in any contract they take from their principal that their workers should not earn less than the minimum wage. The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions. “The

 I Need A Husband; Please Help My Life - Lady A social media user, Duchess Osayimwense, has taken to a popular social media platform to express her desire to find a husband. In a recent post online, Osayimwense pleaded for assistance in finding a suitable partner, stating, "I need a husband please help my life🙏🏽." The post has since garnered attention online, sparking discussions among netizens. While some users offered words of encouragement and support, some others have been trolling her but she’s seems not to care.

 Court Sets Judgment Date for Ganduje's Removal as APC Chairman Amid Zoning Controversy A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled September 23, 2024, as the date for the judgment on a case seeking the removal of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from his position as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The suit was filed by the North Central APC Forum, which argued that Ganduje’s appointment violates the APC constitution, as he is not from the North Central zone. The plaintiffs, led by Saleh Zazzaga, sought to bar Ganduje from continuing in his role, citing Article 31.5(1)(f) of the APC's constitution. The court had initially set the judgment for September 18, 2024, but the ruling was postponed because it was not ready. The presiding judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, communicated through the court registrar to all parties, informing them of the new date for the verdict. In addition to seeking Ganduje’s removal, the plaintiffs also called on the court to direct the Independ

  EU Commission's €1.49 Billion Fine on Google Rejected by Court Over Flawed Analysis An EU court has annulled a €1.49 billion fine imposed on Google by the European Commission over alleged abuse of its dominant position in online advertising. The General Court in Luxembourg ruled that the European Commission made errors in its assessment, particularly in failing to consider the full context of the contract clauses it found problematic. This ruling marks a significant win for Google as the tech giant has faced numerous antitrust cases in the EU over the past several years. The fine, originally imposed in 2019, was part of a broader crackdown on big tech companies in Europe. It specifically targeted Google's AdSense service, which the EU had accused of limiting competition by restricting third-party websites from displaying ads from Google's competitors. Google, however, argued that it had already made changes to its ad services prior to the Commission's decision, and th

 Sanwo-Olu congratulates his deputy, Obafemi Hazmat at 60  -Says DG is a trusted, committed partner Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, on his Diamond birthday, describing him as "a trusted, committed and dedicated partner." He said Dr. Obafemi Hazmat, who clocks 60 today, Thursday, is a brother, friend and partner in the Greater Lagos agenda. The Governor noted that the cordial relationship between him and his deputy has led to good governance and the delivery of dividends of democracy to millions of Lagosians State in the last five years.  Dr. Hazmat, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, as well as Commissioner for Works during former Governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola administrations, clocks 60 today, Thursday, September 19.  Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a congratulatory message issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, on Wednesday, praised Dr. Hamzat f

 NECO releases 2024 SSCE internal results The National Examinations Council(NECO) has released the 2024 SSCE internal results. This was disclosed on Thursday, September 19, by the NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Wushishi, while briefing journalists in Minna during the release of the 2024 SSCE internal results. Wushishi also said that NECO blacklisted 21 supervisors in 12 states and de-recognized one school in Ekiti state for mass cheating in two core subjects and one science subject. According to him, the Supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence. The Neco Registrar added that 40 schools were found to have been involved in whole-school mass cheating in 17 states adding that, the schools will be invited to the council for discussion after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.

 Prosecutors Say Teen Killed Mom and Showed Friend Corpse: 'Are You Squeamish Around Dead Bodies?' According to prosecutors, when a 14-year-old Mississippi girl frantically messaged her friend to come over to help with an “emergency” one afternoon this past March, the friend had no idea what she'd witness next. "Are you squeamish around dead bodies?" 14-year-old Carly Gregg allegedly asked the friend when she answered the front door, according to Mississippi state prosecutor Kathryn White Newman, in footage broadcast by CourtTV, who spoke at the now-15-year-old's murder trial. Local WAPT and WJTV also reported on Newman's opening statements in the trial, which began Monday. According to Newman, moments later, Gregg led her friend to her bedroom, where her mother was dead on the floor from three gunshots, CourtTV and WAPT reported. Newman told the courtroom that Gregg's mother was searching her daughter's bedroom for vape pens, WLBT also reported. G

 Mark Zuckerberg reveals response he gave his daughter, 7, when she told him she wanted to be like Taylor Swift Mark Zuckerberg has revealed how he responded when his seven-year-old daughter told him she wants to grow up to be like Taylor Swift.   The Meta CEO shared the story during a chat with the Acquired podcast.   He said he shut down his middle child August Chan Zuckerberg and told her that following in the popstar's footsteps is "not available".    The father-of-three made the remarks as part of a wider point he was making on the importance of originality and authenticity in the tech sphere.   “One day, my daughter. We took her to a Taylor Swift concert and she was like, 'You know Dad, I kind of want to be like Taylor Swift when I grow up',” Zuckerberg told podcast hosts Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal. “I was like, 'But you can't. That's not available to you',” he continued. “She thought about it and she's like, ‘Alright when I grow up

 Nigerians hungry, angry – Makinde Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that times are hard and Nigerians are currently hungry and angry. Makinde made this declaration on Wednesday while performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrading of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Alakia, Ibadan, to international standards. The governor, while addressing the gathering, said that his government will not implement policies that will increase the hardship the citizens are facing currently. Makinde affirmed that his government had paid due compensation to landowners in Ajia who lost their property to the new Air Force Base being constructed in the area. He said: “We took an important decision yesterday at the Executive Council Meeting. We know times are hard and Nigerians are hungry and angry. But I hope this will not boil over. But in Oyo State, we have control over what we can do here. “I can see that the House has passed the Presumptive Tax Bill. Yes, it came from us because if

 How Ihejirika’s death sentence was overturned in Indonesia – Lawyer The United States-based foremost Nigerian international lawyer, Emmanuel Ogebe, has revealed that the process of freeing a compatriot, Emmanuel Ihejirika, on death row for drug charges in Indonesia began in 2019. Ogebe said Ihejirika approached him when he visited Indonesia five years ago to contact the Nigerian Embassy on his behalf and other Nigerian prisoners in a desperate situation at the time. The lawyer made this known in a statement made available to our correspondent on Monday in reaction to the goodwill messages from Nigerians at home and abroad for his recent legal feat. Recall that Nigerians received the news of Ihejirika’s freedom from the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Saturday. Reacting to the message in the statement for the first time, Ogebe said the Nigerian was “erroneously” sentenced by the Indonesian Supreme Court “as Emmanuel Ihejirika after 20 years imprisoned

 Troops bust criminal network in Taraba Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army and Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, have again dismantled a notorious criminal network allegedly responsible for various acts of violence and insecurity within Karim-Lamido Local Government Council of Taraba State. A statement made available to journalists on Wednesday by the acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Brigade, Captain Oni Olubodunde, said the operation led to the arrest of two suspects. According to the statement: “Acting on credible intelligence, troops conducted a well-coordinated operation targeting the criminal syndicate, which has been linked to a series of violent crimes, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and illegal arms dealing. “The swift and precise actions of the gallant troops of the brigade resulted in the apprehension of a key member of the gang known as ‘Malam Ali Tambaya’ in Wanzani village of Karim Lamido council .” Items recovered from the suspects during

 Arsenal’s Odegaard Faces Lengthy Injury Absence Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will be out “for a while” with an ankle injury he suffered on international duty with Norway, manager Mikel Arteta said on Wednesday. Odegaard twisted his ankle in Norway’s Nations League match against Austria earlier this month. His national team doctor had suggested he would be sidelined for a “minimum of three weeks”. “After everything was scanned, they showed that there was some damage, especially in one of the ligaments in the ankle so we’re going to miss him,” Arteta told reporters ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League opener against Atalanta on Thursday. “I don’t want to (put a timeframe on it) because I am not a doctor but it is something quite significant so we’re going to lose him for a while — hopefully not months, but let’s see.” Arsenal, Premier League runners-up last season, visit reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday. The Gunners beat local rivals Tottenham 1-0 last weekend to sit secon

 22-year-old David Beckham’s son, Romeo retires from football, joins mother in fashion business Manchester United legend, David Beckham’s son, Romeo, has shockingly announced his retirement from football. Romeo is retiring at the age of 22 and is having a change of career. The former Brentford winger will now dedicate his time in the fashion industry, following in the footsteps of his mother, Victoria Beckham. Beckham Jr was a product of Arsenal’s youth where he started his football journey in 2015 before joining Inter Miami’s academy in 2021. He spent two years with the Herons in their reserve team before joining Brentford’s B team in the summer of 2023. He had a flair for his mother’s business since his childhood. When he was 10, Romeo featured in a Burberry Kids campaign and was voted Britain’s 26th Best-Dressed Man in 2011. He signed a whopping £1.2million deal with Puma to be the face of their brand in 2021. Beckham was the cover model of L’Uomo Vogue in 2021 and has also worked f

 You don’t show up in big games – Mikel Obi slams Haaland ahead of Arsenal clash Former Super Eagles midfielder, John Mikel Obi, has claimed Manchester City’s Erling Haaland does not show up in big games. Mikel Obi made this remark on beIN Sports on Wednesday. According to him, Haaland has a tendency to go missing when City needed him most. When asked if Haaland takes big games by the scruff of the neck, Mikel Obi responded: “Right now, he hasn’t. We can agree on that. “He’s scored goals, so many goals, but in the big games, I want to see him do that on Sunday again when they play Arsenal. “I want to see him show up in big games and be the man. Score one or two, hat-trick, whatever it is.”

 ‘I can’t be doing all the work’ — Paul Okoye insists on P-Square split Nigerian musician Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy of the P-Square duo, has insisted on splitting with his twin brother, Peter Okoye. The crisis between the two brothers became public after Paul, in an interview, accused Peter of petitioning the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to arrest him. However, expressing his frustration during an Instagram live session on Wednesday, Paul claimed he did most of the work while others benefitted. Speaking in pidgin, he said: “Those days of monkey dey work, baboon dey chop, I no dey do again. So I would rather continue working for myself. Every time, only me dey sing all the songs. I no dey do again.” The singer had recently noted that the rift between him and his brother is more complicated than it is viewed. P-Square first split in 2017 and reunited in November 2021.

 Militants kill dozen Niger troops in raids The militants carried out  A series of ambushes and explosions across military-run Niger killed at least 12 soldiers and wounded 30 others, the army announced on state-run television, AFP reported. In the first attack, in western Tillaberi region on Sunday, "a horde of criminals who arrived in their hundreds" killed five soldiers and wounded 25 more, according to the army. The ground and air response killed "more than 100 terrorists", the army said, without giving further details on the attackers. On Monday, in the restive southwest Diffa region where there are frequent attacks by Boko Haram and the West African branch of the Islamic State group, five patrolling soldiers were killed by an improvised explosive device. A "surgical strike" in retaliation "killed several terrorists" responsible, the army said. In the latest attack, militants from a new resistance group called the Patriotic Movement for Free

 Nigerian Professors Struggle With Poverty, Low Wages, Says Kaduna Varsity Dean, Audi T. Giwa Professor Audee T. Giwa, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and a former Dean of Students Affairs at Kaduna State University (KASU), has expressed concern over the impoverished state of most Nigerian professors. He highlighted that many professors in Nigeria can barely afford to own cars due to low salaries and the harsh economic conditions. Professor Giwa made these remarks after participating in the "Diversity in Science" project, an initiative of the Pharmafluence Education Advancement Network (PEAN) in collaboration with KASU. He pointed out that the average salary of a professor in Nigeria is less than N500,000 per month, despite the general perception that professors are wealthy. “How many people do you know who can’t afford to drive their own cars? These so-called rich people are not professors, because we are already poor. When you see a professor driving, they are one of the ve

 I began singing before I even started talking, says Oxlade Afrobeat singer, Ikuforiji Olaitan Abdulrahman, popularly known as Oxlade, has made a stunning revelation about his musical beginnings. In a recent episode of the ’90s Babies podcast, Oxlade claimed that he started singing before he could talk, citing his parents as the source of this information. According to the singer, his parents recalled that as a child, he sang faster than he could articulate words. “I started singing before I started talking. My parents told me that I started singing before I could even talk,” he explained. “I sang faster than catching up with talks. That was what my parents told me. I feel like that was where it [my talent] all started from”, he said.

 Transport fare hike: Low turnout of students 1 week after school resumption One week after schools resumed for the 2024/2025 academic session, there has been a noticeable decline in student turnout across primary and secondary schools in major cities nationwide. Many schools started classes on September 9 following a break of over a month, while others resumed on Tuesday, September 17. Findings by our correspondents in many schools revealed a decrease in student attendance, with teachers and school managers attributing it to a recent increase in transport fares, which is a direct consequence of the recent hike in fuel prices. Recently, the NNPC Limited announced a new pricing template that raised pump prices to N950 per litre, with prices reaching as high as N1,000 per litre in some northern states. Kogi govt inaugurates N70, 000 minimum wage implementation committee UK announces £1.9m investment to boost W/Africa’s economic growth The surge in fuel prices has led to a substantial ris

 Zamfara boat mishap: 10 bodies recovered, 22 still missing Corpses of 10 of the victims of the boat accident that occurred on Saturday at Gummi, Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State have been recovered. The bodies were said to have been recovered Tuesday night. This is even as 22 of the passengers of the accidented boat are still missing five after the mishap. The state emergency agency yesterday said it had extended search efforts to neighbouring villages. Court remands farmer for ‘defiling’ stepdaughter NIGERIA DAILY: Will Nigeria’s Flood Preparedness Improve As Lagdo Dam Gives Early Warning The boat capsized in the Mashayar Yan Tauri River and allegedly sank with all the passengers on board. The boat, said to be overloaded, collided with an oncoming empty boat that went to reduce some of its passengers to prevent it from capsizing. Confirming the recovery, the Secretary of the Gummi Emirate Council, Alhaji Mahmud S. Fada, said the 10 bodies were buried where they were disco