PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 Lagos driver flees after setting LASTMA officer on fire A commercial driver is on the run after causing bodily injuries to an officer of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority in the Mile 2 area of the state on Tuesday. The LASTMA spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to PUNCH Metro on Tuesday. According to Taofiq, LASTMA operatives had accosted the driver for violating traffic regulations but he resisted arrest. He noted that in an attempt to evade arrest, the driver sprayed his vehicle and some of the officers who had taken over the vehicle with petrol, set the bus on fire and fled the scene. Taofiq narrated, “The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has been made aware of a distressing video showing the driver of a Volkswagen T4 commercial bus, licence plate LSD 355 CK, setting both his vehicle and LASTMA officers ablaze in a brazen attempt to evade arrest. “The vehicle was intercepted for violating traffic regulations in t...

 Oyebanji appoints Justice Ogunmoye as acting chief judge  Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has appointed Justice Lekan Adekanye Ogunmoye as Acting Chief Judge of the State. This is in furtherance of the powers conferred on the Governor by Section 271 (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The appointment of Hon Justice Ogunmoye takes effect from November 5, 2024. He replaces the former Chief Judge, Justice John Oyewole Adeyeye, who passed on November 4, 2024. Born on November 6, 1963, Justice Ogunmoye was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987 and was appointed a judge on April 1, 2010. Governor Oyebanji wishes the new Acting Chief Judge a successful tenure.

 Trump at 227 electoral votes, Harris at 189 — US media Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former president Donald Trump are battling it out for the White House, with polls nearly all closed across the United States early Wednesday — but a long wait for results is still expected. US media have thus far projected that Trump has won in 23 states, including big prizes Texas and Ohio, key battleground North Carolina and other reliably Republican-leaning states. Harris has so far captured 14 states including big electoral vote prizes California and New York — as well as the US capital Washington. So far, that gives Trump 227 electoral votes and Harris 189. The magic number to win the presidency is 270. Observers expect the hotly contested race for the White House to come down to a handful of key battleground states. The following is a list of the states won by each candidate and the corresponding number of electoral votes, based on the projections of US media includi...

 Olukoyede Cautions Students against Negative Use of Internet The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has cautioned youths and students across the country against negative use of the internet, stressing that the internet could be counter-productive if wrongly used. EFCC boss made the remark on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, when the students of Oloye Comprehensive College, Sabon Lugbe, Airport Road, Abuja, came on a study tour of the Commission. Represented by the Head, Public Interface Unit, Assistant Commander of the EFCC,  ACE 1 Tony Orilade, Olukoyede advised the students to shun internet fraud and corruption and be focused on their academics in order to actualize their dreams and visions in life. He charged the students to consciously shun every form of internet fraud and corruption by supporting and partnering with the EFCC to eradicate corruption in the country. ‘‘The purpose of the EFCC is to fight economic and finan...

 Distinguished Colleagues, At the NBA Ikeja Branch's monthly meeting held on Monday the 4th of November, 2024 we had our  usual Knowledge Sharing Session with a very novel topic: " *Succession Planning in Legal Practice"* and this topic was well delivered by our own seasoned and cerebral *Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, OFR, SAN.*  Dr. Kemi Pinheiro, OFR, SAN, was able to speak out to the Conscience of both Senior and Junior Lawyers on the urgent need for Lawyers to have succession plans in their various practices so as to enable these practices outlive the founders in delivering top notch services. The Learned Silk further encouraged Lawyers to consider partnership noting that its better, more profitable and safer. The Learned Silk admonishes Lawyers to always see the law as a business, discouraging the one-man-show we are used to. He cited examples showing that practices and Law Firms ran as one-man-shows die immediately the founders passes or are incapacitated.  The Learned Si...

 Alleged N3b Fraud: I Exchanged Naira for Dollars for Yahaya Bello -BDC Operator Jamilu Abdullahi, a Bureau de Change operator and the third prosecution witness in the trial of Ali Bello, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024,  affirmed before Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja that funds were brought to him by agents of Kogi State Government for the payment of school fees of the daughters of former governor, Yahaya Bello.   In a cross-examination by Ali Bello’s counsel, A.M. Aliyu SAN, Abdullahi affirmed that a dollar equivalent in cash was exchanged for each tranche. "I made it clear that it was cash that was brought to my office for payment of the school fees," he said.    An effort by the defence to evaluate a WhatsApp conversation between the witness and the second defendant,  Abba Adaudu as evidence, was objected to by prosecution counsel Abbas Mohammed, who argued that the copy of the WhatsApp conversation was unknown to the cour...

 Alleged N10m Fraud: EFCC Presents More Witness against Ex-Banker The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, presented its third prosecution witness, PW3, Bamaiyi Mairiga, a forensic expert in the Forensic Department of the EFCC Headquarters, Abuja, in the trial of one Babatunde Keshinro, a former Head, Commercial Banking with one of the new generation banks in Nigeria, for an alleged N10m fraud before Justice I.O.Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja. The EFCC is prosecuting Keshinro on a nine-count charge bordering on forgery and stealing to the tune of N10million. He was initially standing trial before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos before whom he pleaded "not guilty" to the charges. However, the trial could not be concluded before the retirement of the trial judge. The case was, thereafter, transferred to Justice Ijelu. The defendant, again, pleaded “not guilty” to the ch...

  China space station crew returns to Earth after 6 months in space Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Monday after a six-month stay on the Tiangong space station, part of China’s effort to be a global leader in space exploration. A parachute slowed their capsule’s nighttime descent to a remote landing area in China’s Inner Mongolia region. The crew emerged after touching down at 1:24 a.m. A Chinese national flag stuck in the ground near the capsule flapped in the wind. In recent years, the country’s space program has brought back rocks from the moon and landed a rover on Mars. It aims to put a person on the moon by 2030, which would make China the second nation after the United States to do so. The space station astronauts returned after welcoming a replacement three-person crew last week for the latest six-month mission. The new team of one woman and two men will conduct experiments, carry out spacewalks and install equipment to protect the station from space debris....

 Daughter found guilty of murdering and dismembering mom, burning body on a barbecue grill A sick Maryland woman has been found guilty of murdering her mother — then getting her daughter to help hack up the body and try to get rid of it by grilling parts on a garden barbecue. Candace Craig, 45, was on Friday found guilty after an eight-day trial of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and tampering with evidence and disposing of a body in an unauthorized place, WUSA9 reported. Her 71-year-old mom, Margaret Craig, had confronted her for committing credit card fraud in June 2023 — and was choked to death when she threatened to turn in her daughter to the police. Candace Craig then roped in one of her own three children, 19-year-old daughter Salia Hardy, to dispose of the body, with the teen testifying against her mom after pleading guilty earlier this year to her own role in the gruesome crime. Hardy said she found her grandmother’s body stuffed inside a blue plastic container i...

 NDLEA, NBA Commend Comptroller Idris for Combating Smuggling, Drug Trafficking The Customs Area Controller of Katsina Area Command, Comptroller Abba-Aji Idris, has received commendations from the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for his proactive efforts in addressing cross-border crimes, particularly smuggling and drug trafficking. In a press statement signed by the Command’s Acting Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Customs Bello Isah, on 31 October 2024, both agencies were reported to have praised Comptroller Idris during recent engagements with the Command, recognising his role in strengthening border security and public awareness. According to the statement, the newly appointed NDLEA Commander for Katsina, Abubakar Aminu, paid a courtesy visit to Comptroller Idris at the Customs House in Katsina on 30 October 2024. He commended the Customs Command’s extensive efforts to raise public awareness of the danger...

 A woman's life hangs in the balance after being stabbed in the neck by her baby's father outside a Witbank court today. The incident occurred after they attended a family court hearing regarding maintenance issues.

 Convocation: 174 bagged first-class, as Uniuyo graduates 12,450 students The University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has revealed that about One-hundred and seventy-four, 174 students of the Institution have bagged first-class honours as it graduates 12,450 students at the 2024 convocation which comes up on Saturday. The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Nyaudo Ndaeyo stated this on Tuesday while giving a breakdown of the graduands at the pre-convocation briefing which was held at the University’s Council chambers of the University, Nwaniba Road, Uyo. He said, “This year’s convocation is yet another very significant milestone ceremony in the life of this administration. It is significant in that it’s a combined ceremony of the 29th and 30th convocation in the series of this great citadel of learning. “The combined convocation has a total of 12,450 graduands. The breakdown shows Thus: PHD 303, Master’s Degree 608, Postgraduate Diploma 246 bringing the total to 1,167. The bachelor’...

  Education minister reverses 18-year age limit for admission The new Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has abolished the 18-year admission benchmark for tertiary institutions in the country. He also hinted at the possibility of reviewing the nation’s education policy. However, the minister stated that there would be no reversal of the Federal Government’s decision to void over 22,700 degree certificates obtained by Nigerians from some “fake” universities in neighbouring Togo and the Benin Republic. Alausa spoke on Wednesday at his inaugural ministerial press conference, which is ongoing in Abuja. He stated that practical education will help to address the unemployment situation in Nigeria, as tertiary institutions will not continue to churn out graduates every year without providing jobs for them. He mentioned that the federal government will collaborate with private sector operators to train students and unleash their potential. Alausa added that universities of agricultur...

 NOTICE OF GENERAL SYSTEM COLLAPSE The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a general system collapse that occurred at 13:52 hours today, 5th November 2024. This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the EEDC network. Consequently, due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide services to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo States. We are on standby awaiting detailed information about the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo. Thank you. Signed: Emeka Ezeh Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC

 President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday decorated Acting chief of army staff, Major General Olufemi Oluyede with the new rank of Lieutenant General. Tinubu Promotes Acting COAS Oluyede To Lieutenant General Rank President Bola Tinubu has promoted the acting Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Olufemi Oluyede, to Lt, General. The President decorated Oluyede with his new rank conferring effective command authority on him in the Nigerian Army in a short ceremony at the President’s office, Aso Rock, Abuja. Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy) Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Tuesday that the President assured the military that his government would always listen to their advice and keep the country on the path of peace and prosperity. He also commended the military for its unwavering courage, dedication, and patriotism in maintaining the nation’s security. The President said for while the country is facing challenges progress is being made. The President attributed the suc...

 Ekiti CJ Adeyeye dies at 64 The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, died at a tertiary health institution in Ekiti on Monday November 4, 2024 after a brief illness. Although details of his death have not been made known officially, sources told our reporter that he passed on after a brief stay at the hospital. He was sworn in as a Chief Judge on October 11 2021 by former Governor Kayode Fayemi.  The Chief Judge was born in 1960 in Araromi Ugbesi in Ekiti East Local Government of Ekiti State and called to bar in 1986. He started his career as a State counsel in the Civil service of the old Ondo State before joining the Ekiti State Judiciary Service Commission shortly after the creation of the State in 1996. He got elevated to the position of a judge in the Ekiti State High Court in 2002 and has served at different times in the election petition tribunals.

 Sex tape: Equatorial Guinea to install surveillance cameras in offices The Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, Teddy Nguema, has announced plans to install surveillance cameras in all state body offices. This sweeping measure is part of an ongoing effort to ensure strict adherence to public service laws and combat misconduct among officials. PUNCH Online earlier reported that the country’s Director General, National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, was arrested for allegedly recording over 400 sex tapes of the wives of notable people in the country. The scandal emerged in the course of a fraud investigation against the 54-year-old Economist, which resulted in the search of his house and office on impromptu notice by ANIF officials who came across several CDs that later revealed his sexcapades with different married women. The CCTV initiative, unveiled in an X post on Tuesday, according to him, underscored the administration’s commitment to tr...

 Baltasar Engonga: Many married women sexually dissatisfied – Eva Alordiah Nigerian rapper Eva Alordiah has said that many married women are not sexually satisfied by their husbands. This comes after social media went agog following a leaked tape scandal involving Equatorial Guinea’s finance chief, Baltasar Ebang Engonga featuring him with various women, including many married women. Reacting to this, the music star pointed out that many women endure significant sexual dissatisfaction, which may drive some to infidelity. Eva stressed that most men do not recognize or address this issue, further exacerbating the situation. She said: “So when are we going to finally talk about the fact that so many women are facing brutal S3xual dissatisfaction in their marriages, and most men do not even care to learn why or how to help? “A well-loved and deeply f3cked woman is a happy woman who will not stray”. Her statement led to series of remarks on social media, with one fan arguing that cheati...

 How pain killers damaged my kidney – Actress Ufoma McDermott Nollywood actress, Ufoma McDermott, has narrated how her battle with kidney disease was traced to long term painkillers abuse. The actress made this known during her latest interview with popular media personality, Chude Jideonwo. Speaking on her 12-year battle with kidney disease, the actress advised the general public to prioritise their health. While revealing that her condition was a side effect of long-term painkiller abuse, McDermott said; “I really wish everyone would understand the importance of health. My brother was diagnosed late on stage 4 of kidney disease and he goes straight into dialysis and has complications. “I was diagnosed earlier, so I have lived on medication for almost 12 years now. When my brother I ran to my cardiologist. My parents were scared, thinking if this is genetic? We had to trace the kidney disease and we learned it was from drug abuse. “I grew up with migraines, headaches and eyeaches,...

 Tinubu released minors on compassionate ground – VP Shettima Vice President Kashim Shettima has said his principal, President Bola Tinubu ordered the release of the minors facing trial for treason on compassionate grounds. The VP said there was incontrovertible digital video and photographic evidence of the perpetration and actions of some of the protesters which were uploaded by the actors themselves. He lamented that the nation lost over N300 billion from the destruction and halting of economic activities orchestrated by the protesters. The VP said this on Tuesday while receiving the minors at the Presidential Villa, shortly after their charges were dropped by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi. Shettima said, “The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, instructed the release of the suspect on humanitarian grounds, despite incontrovertible digital video and photograph...

 Nigeria’s national grid collapses again Nigeria has again been plunged into darkness as the national grid recorded another collapse on Tuesday. The incident happened around 2:09 pm, according to the official X handle of the National Nigeria Grid. The nation’s power grid witnessed a series of collapses last month. In 2024 alone, the National grid has collapsed at least eight times. Recently, nine northern states were plunged into darkness as the National grid collapsed again. The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has also informed its customers “of a general system collapse that occurred at 13:52 hours today, 5th November 2024. This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the EEDC network.” Emeka Ezeh, Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, signed the notice Tuesday afternoon. He said, “Consequently, due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide services to our customers in Abia, ...

 Ogun Pensioners' Union Commends Abiodun Over Wage Increase to Members The Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Ogun State Branch, has commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for the wage increase extended to all categories of its members in the state. The Union, in a letter titled "New Wage Increase to Ogun Pensioners: Expression of Gratitude," signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Waidi Oloyede, Secretary Comrade Bola Lawal, and the State Treasurer, Comrade O. Ogabi, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the governor for his kindness and consideration towards the state retirees at all times. It noted that the state government has started paying the N20,000 wage increase from the month of October 2024. According to the Union, such a wage increase for pensioners was last realized 16 years ago, and since then, no visible increase has been made to cut across all emolument strata. "Your Excellency, we cannot but recognize the many lofty gestures accorded to us by your amazing administ...

 UK Will Not Pay Out Reparations for Slavery in Cash, Foreign Secretary Says The concept of reparations doesn’t necessarily mean paying out money but also sharing skills and experience, UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in an interview to a Western TV broadcaster during his trip to Nigeria, Sputnik reported. "The concept of reparations for former colonial nations affected by slavery is not about the transfer of cash, particularly at a time of a cost of living crisis," David Lammy said, as quoted by the media. The report noted that the UK has never apologized for its policy in colonial time, although Lammy stated the opposite. Earlier, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that the UK should apologize and pay reparations for colonizing Zimbabwe. The president pointed out that the UK and Germany had apologized to the Mau Mau of Kenya and the Mbanderu, Herero, and Nama in Namibia, respectively. He underscored that the time had come for Zimbabwe to achieve justice fo...

 Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has unveiled the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Institute and Campus in Benin City, Edo State.  Governor Obaseki while leading former governors of Imo and Cross Rivers Mr  Emeka Ihedioha and Mr Donald Duke, alongside other dignitaries, to the facility said investments in the state’s creative, arts, and culture has  transformed Edo into a center of excellence.  Also, commissioned  was the Edo Film Project Residence (Edonimose),the Victor Uwaifo Creative Hub post  Production Centre.  More photos below. 

 No going back on forex, subsidy reforms – Finance minister The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, says there is no going back on the current administration’s reforms in the forex and oil and gas sectors. Edun made this known when he received the newly assigned Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anitez at the Ministry’s headquarters, on Monday. “Nigeria now have a foreign exchange rate that is market based and also a deregulated oil market pricing which are two reforms that are long overdue over many decades that President Tinubu is currently implementing. “Therefore as co-ordinating minister of economy, we stand on a threshold of a new dawn to implement these reforms and increase productivity, create jobs and reducing poverty and we are glad to have a minister of state that will help in actualizing the President’s reforms,” he said. According to him, consultation and collaboration is key to achieving these key reforms both from public ...