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 PRESS RELEASE   IGP AFFIRMS POLICE, SECURITY AGENCIES’ PREPAREDNESS FOR ONDO GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS, BANS QUASI-SECURITY GROUPS FROM PARTICIPATION   - Warns Against Political Interference and Acts of Violence   As the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election, scheduled for November 16, 2024, draws near, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has unequivocally assured the public of the Nigeria Police Force’s unwavering readiness to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process across all 18 Local Government Areas, 203 Wards, and 3,933 Polling Units in the state.   The IGP has confirmed that comprehensive plans have been set in motion to guarantee a smooth election, including the strategic deployment of adequate personnel, resources, and state-of-the-art equipment. The deployment will see officers from various specialized units, including the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special...

 Burkina Faso hails Russia ties, says 'suits' better than France Burkina Faso's foreign minister praised cooperation with Russia on Saturday as "suiting" his country better than its historic ties with France, AFP reported. Following a 2022 military coup, Burkina Faso's new leadership broke with Paris and has embraced Russia, which has sent army instructors to help Ouagadougou's fight against an insurgency. Attending a Russia-Africa summit in the southern Russian city of Sochi, Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore said Russia was a "partner with whom we can make progress" and that there was "no fear" of becoming militarily dependent on Moscow. "The offer which has been made through cooperation with Russia, is better suited to the people" of Burkina Faso, he told AFP in an interview on the sidelines of the Sochi summit. He said Russia, like Burkina Faso, has suffered from "cliches constructed by other partners" ...

 Kate Middleton Makes Rare Appearance at Festival of Remembrance Princess of Wales made her first high-profile public appearance in months alongside the Prince of Wales at the Festival of Remembrance. The Princess of Wales was beaming as she joined Prince William at the Royal Albert Hall for the event, which is a staple in the royal calendar each year. It's the first Princess of Wales' first high-profile appearance in months, after Prince William described the year as the 'hardest' of his life. She last appeared in public with William in Southport, where the couple met first responders who had been on the scene of the attack in the summer, as well as meeting the families of those victims involved. It marks the first of a number of events the Princess of Wales will attend this weekend as she joins the royal family to honour Britain's servicemen and women. His Majesty, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Princess Anne were also in attendance at the Royal Alb...

 Kenya blocks access to Telegram during exam hours to tackle exam malpractices. Six Kenyans were arrested for engaging in exam malpractices on the app last year. PRESS RELEASE  TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF TELEGRAM SERVICES It has come to the attention of the Authority that the Telegram platform is being misused to perpetrate criminal activities, including compromising on the integrity of the ongoing national examinations. As result, various government agencies have reached out to the Authority seeking assistance in taking down social media channels and forums, including Telegram, that are interfering with the integrity of our national examinations. Whereas all other social media platforms operating in Kenya have taken steps to address misuse of their platforms, we note with dismay that Telegram Inc. has remained non-responsive and continues to host offending forums and channels in blatant breach of the laws of the land and the general principles of Data Protection and Privacy. By ...

  Botswana's First Lady Kneels Before Husband During His Inauguration  Duma Boko's inauguration ceremony as president of the Republic of Botswana was full of pomp and colour. Boko, 54, inaugurated just nine days after his party beat the Botswana Democratic Party, which governed for six decades. Boko is a human rights lawyer who is considered a social democrat.He read law at the University of Botswana and at Harvard Law School. He was raised in a modest family in Mahalapye, a village 200km from the country’s capital, Gaborone. Photos of his wife Kaone Boko, the First Lady of Botswana, kneeling before her husband during his inauguration ceremony. Her kneeling in front of her husband during one of the most important days of his life was a sign of respect. The ceremony was a moment of pride and joy, particularly for Kaone, who was visibly emotional when she witnessed her husband take the presidential oath. Married since 2015, Kaone is an accomplished lawyer who worked in her and h...

 Police Chief of Anti-Money Laundering in Madrid Arrested During Historic Cocaine Seizure in Spain The head of Madrid's economic crime unit of the Spanish National Police, Oscar Sanchez Gil, has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering, drug trafficking and bribery According to media reports, the head of the economic crime department of the Spanish National Police in Madrid has been arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking, money laundering and bribery. His wife, who is also an officer of the "Policía Nacional", and 13 other people were also arrested during the operation on Wednesday, as reported by the state television station RTVE, the newspaper "El Mundo" and other Spanish media, citing the relevant authorities. During the search of the couple's house in the Madrid suburb of Alcalá de Henares, more than 20 million euros were discovered hidden in the walls, presumably from drug deals. In addition, further cash amounting to around one million euros w...

 Security agencies in Northeast India are on high alert following warnings of potential terror threats from groups like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and other extremist organizations. Intelligence reports suggest that these groups may attempt to carry out attacks in the region, with Assam and other Northeastern states being identified as potential targets. Authorities are now stepping up security measures to prevent any possible incidents. According to officials, sleeper cells of JMB and similar organizations have been under surveillance due to their suspected plans to carry out activities aimed at disrupting peace in Northeast India. These groups are believed to be taking advantage of the region’s porous borders to move in and out, which has heightened concerns for local law enforcement. Security agencies are closely monitoring vulnerable points to detect any suspicious movements. In response, Assam and neighboring states have intensified security checks at critical locat...

 A year-old murder case in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, has taken a new turn after a contract killer filed a complaint with the police, alleging that he was not paid the agreed sum of Rs. 20 lakh for the murder of lawyer Anjali. Anjali was shot dead nearly a year ago by two assailants while returning home. Initially, her husband and in-laws were detained on suspicion of orchestrating the murder over a property dispute, but they were later cleared of any involvement. Days after the murder, police arrested the alleged shooters, Neeraj Sharma and Yashpal, who were reportedly hired by a man named Suresh Bhati. Investigators discovered that the assailants had stayed at Neeraj’s house the night before the crime. Authorities also recovered two scooters and a pistol linked to the murder. Neeraj Sharma, recently released on bail, has now filed a complaint with the police, claiming that Anjali’s murder was masterminded by her husband, mother-in-law Sarla Gupta, and father-in-law Pawan Gupta. Neera...

 How is that my fault, I produced and recorded the song for them and got paid and left – Paul Okoye’s former producer shares his side of the story 1 Big Craze the former producer of singer Paul Okoye has broken his silence following allegations of song theft We reported that the second half of Psquare had accused the producer of stealing his songs. He revealed that he had written and sung a song titled Winning, which was supposed to be produced next year. To his surprise, his twin brother, Peter Okoye, had released the same song by the same producer. Questioning how come, he wondered if he was supposed to release another version. Paul made it known that the days of manipulation were over as he promised to release the original version of any songs of his that were being replicated. Explaining what happened via his Instagram story, the producer said he had produced and recorded Winning for them in 2022. He said he sent stems to Psquare for mixing and mastering and he got played and l...

 DNA test is more important than naming ceremony” – Don Jazzy tells Nigerians Music executive Micheal Collins Ajereh, better known as Don Jazzy, has sent a memo to Nigerians on the importance of conducting DNA test Taking to his Instagram story, he stated that conducting DNA test is more important than a naming ceremony. “DNA test is more important than naming ceremony”.

 Nollywood actress Rita Edochie isn’t backing down from throwing shade at her nephew’s second wife, Judy Austin. Resuming her vawulence, she shared a video of a woman who bore a resemblance to Judy falling on the ground as she took a shot at Judy. Calling the actress a copycat, she noted how the woman in the video is wearing the same style of blouse as Judy. Making a mockery of the woman who fell, she body shamed them over their breasts. “SO WHILE I WAS TAKING A STROLL ON THE STREETS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, I STUMBLED ON THIS VIDEO. AH AH … AH AH … WHO DEY FALL YAKATAAA LIKE ABEG? I THOUGHT IT WAS AIRPORT SHENANIGANS; WHY DID THAT PERSON COME DEY FALL KWANU? COPY COPY KALIZILI. BIKONU ABEG WHO DIS PERSON DEY RESEMBLE BIKO SAME STYLE OF SKIRT SAME STYLE OF BLOUSE AND BY THEIR BREAST YOU SHALL KNOW DEM

 STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE PRESIDENT TINUBU TO ATTEND JOINT ARAB-ISLAMIC SUMMIT IN SAUDI ARABIA   President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit, which will focus on the current situation in the Middle East.    The Summit will commence on Monday, November 11, 2024.  It is being held at the invitation of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and follows last year’s summit in the same Saudi city.   During the summit, President Tinubu is expected to address the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict, emphasising Nigeria's strong call for an immediate ceasefire and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution.    Nigeria will also advocate for renewed efforts to revive the two-state solution as a pathway to lasting peace in the region.   Key officials including the minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, will accompany the President. Other members of the...

 ANNOUNCEMENT FIRST LADY OF NIGERIA, SENATOR OLUREMI TINUBU, CON REFUTES ORGANISING NATIONAL PRAYER EVENT  This is to clarify and inform the general public that the First Lady of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, CON is not organizing a National Prayer. The news making rounds in some conventional and social media platforms are unfounded and misleading. Consequently, anyone who might have come across the purported news of the joint National Prayer for Nigeria should disregard it as false.  Whilst the First Lady, a Christian and strong advocate of prayer and praying for Nigeria believes that prayer is an act that must be done willingly, conscientiously and correctly. She also believes that praying for Nigeria is the responsibility of every Nigerian, irrespective of religious belief, political affiliation, tribe or tongue. Members of the public are advised to verify the authenticity of any news or event involving the First Lady of Nigeria or her Office through...

 MC Oluomo elected NURTW national president Former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Lagos State Chapter, Mr Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, was elected the new National President of the Union on Saturday. Akinsanya was the sole candidate in the election, which took place at the Union’s Zonal Secretariat along the Osogbo/Ikirun road. Delegates from the four Southwest states of Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Ekiti participated in the election. The election, held during the Union’s Quadrennial Delegate Conference, was monitored and observed by the acting National President of the group, Aliyu Issa-Ore. Issa-Ore, addressing the gathering, explained that the Union’s Constitution stipulates that the zone permitted to fill the national president’s position would elect its preferred candidate and present them to the national body. The acting NURTW President, represented by Mrs Adedamola Salam, Head of Finance at the National Headquarters in Abuja, added, “...

 November 8th, 2024   Police Press Release   KATSINA POLICE COMMAND FOILED ATTACKS, RESCUED TWENTY-ONE (21) VICTIMS IN JIBIA TOWNSHIP, REASSURES COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY.   In a swift and coordinated response, the Katsina State Police Command, in collaboration with the Nigerian Military, members of the state community watch corps, and vigilantes, successfully foiled simultaneous attacks on three quarters in Jibia Township, Katsina State, on November 7th, 2024.   At about 2115 hrs (9:15 pm), suspected armed bandits launched coordinated attacks on Ka'ida, Unguwar One Boy, and Danmarke quarters, all in Jibia Township, Jibia LGA, Katsina State. The swift response of the joint security team led by the DPO Jibia repelled the attackers, resulting in a fierce gun duel that lasted for over an hour. firepower and tactical advantage of the joint security team eventually forced the bandits to retreat with unspecified casualties as the operation resulted in t...

 Teacher Shortage Worsens in Cameroon's Secondary Schools as Thousands Quit Thousands of secondary school teachers in Cameroon are leaving their jobs, worsening the teacher shortage across the country. The Ministry of Secondary Education reports that over 3,637 teachers have left their posts this year, affecting schools in both cities and rural areas. On November 4, 2024, Secondary Education Minister Prof. Nalova Lyonga shared that 1,509 teachers had recently quit. She warned that teachers who fail to report back with valid explanations within two weeks could face serious penalties. Despite multiple government warnings, teacher absenteeism has continued to be a major issue in Cameroon's schools. Earlier in February, the minister disclosed that 2,128 teachers were unaccounted for, with many reportedly leaving the country in search of better work or unable to return due to the ongoing conflict in the Anglophone and Far North regions. The issue goes beyond teachers. Civil servants...

 Cameroon Constitutional Council Members Face Court Cases The Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) has filed a lawsuit against Justice Clement Atangana, President of the Constitutional Council, along with members Emmanuel Bonde and Adolphe Minkoa. According to CRM lawyers, the case has been submitted to the judge at the Yaoundé Court of First Instance in the Center Region. The CRM accuses the Constitutional Council officials of overstepping their role, claiming they acted in favor of the ruling CPDM party, which they argue goes against the council's duty to remain neutral in political matters. The lawsuit lists several alleged violations, including infringing on legislative powers and disregarding the neutrality required by their positions. The move comes after Justice Atangana reportedly joined a CPDM meeting endorsing President Paul Biya for the 2025 elections. It is also noted that Adolphe Minkoa serves on the Olympic Committee and Emmanuel Bonde holds a position in the CPDM’s po...

 Burna Boy becomes first African artist to be nominated for Grammys 6 consecutive years Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has made history as the first African artist have Grammy nominations in six consecutive years. The ‘African Giant’ crooner has earned back-to-back Grammy nominations since 2018, a rare feat for an African artist. He has now garnered a total of 11 nominations, winning just one. His hit song, ‘Higher’, is nominated in the Best African Music Performance category at this year’s Grammys. Meanwhile, Tems is the Nigerian artist with the most nominations at the 67th Grammys. She was nominated in three categories. Tems received nominations in the Best Global Music Album, Best African Music Performance and Best R&B Song categories for ‘Born In The Wild’, ‘Love Me Jeje’, and ‘Burning’, respectively. The singer now has a total of eight Grammy nominations.

 Obaseki dissolves cabinet, five days to end of tenure The outgoing Governor of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Friday, dissolved his cabinet ahead of the November 12, 2024 swearing-in of Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the new governor of the state. He dissolved the Exco, shortly after a valedictory session held at the Government House, Benin City. The motion for the dissolution of the State Executive Council for 2020-2024 was moved by the Deputy Governor, Godwins Omobayo and was seconded by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Osilama Okuofu. At the valedictory session, the governor commended members of the State Executive Council for helping him in driving his government’s vision of making Edo great again, delivering on all promises made to the people. He also commended the people of the state for supporting, praying and collaborating with his administration, which led to the successes and achievements recorded by his gover...

 Countering Terrorism: Imo Police train officers, men on bomb detection, handling Following the recent bomb explosion at International Market Orlu, which claimed two lives and injured many, the Imo State Police Command has organized a one-day for officers on the identification, handling, and disposal of Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs. A press statement issued from the desk of the command’s public relations officer, ASP Henry Okoye informed that the training was Led by CSP M.A. Ogini, Officer in Charge of the Anti-Bomb Squad. He maintained that the training aimed to improve officers’ ability to detect and neutralize IED threats. According to the press release, officers from all divisions and area commands across the state participated in the session. ASP Henry in the press statement further informed that the training will be a regular exercise as the command will subsequently hold follow-up training within their units to share and reinforce the knowledge gained. He stated that t...

 It’s Not Late To Present 2025 Budget, Tinubu Wants To Prevent Lapses – Senator Sani The Chairman of Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Musa Sani, has said that President Bola Tinubu is taking his time before presenting the 2025 budget to the National Assembly in order to prevent lapses. The lawmaker, who spoke on Friday, insisted that it is not yet late for the President to present the 2025 appropriation bill. Senator Sani noted that there were a lot of noises from Nigerians that the government was rushing policies, adding that the President considered those voices and is now ensuring that everything is properly checked before presenting a budget. “I believe that Mr President is now considering those voices that Nigerians made in making sure that the budget he is bringing is a budget that will rediscover the economy of Nigeria, so I don’t think it is late (to present the budget). “I believe Mr President is doing what he is supposed to do in order to checkmate whatever lapses we ...

 Anambra State Accounting Staff Association Celebrates International Accountants Day  By Uchechukwu Iwuchukwu/Maureen Ugwukah  As November 10 draws closer for the celebration of the International Accountants Day, professionals in the field in Anambra State has started marking the event. The Association has also earmarked a thanksgiving mass to hold on Sunday, November 10 at St. Anthony's Parish Church, Ifite Awka by 10am. The celebration kicked off on Wednesday November 6 at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat with a workshop tagged "Methods of Coding/Codification of MDAs in line with IPSAS and National Chart of Accounts (NCoA)". The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Achor Joachin Chinedum who is also the Chairman, Anambra State Accounting Staff Association (ASASA) spoke on the topic, 'Coding', saying that the subject is the process of assigning numerical codes to represent data, ideas or instructions in a format that can be easily understood and processed b...

 Batteries, Blades Among 56 Metal Objects Removed From Indian Boy's Stomach A 15-year-old boy, Aditya Sharma, from Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, died after doctors removed 56 metal objects from his stomach in a major surgery at a Delhi hospital.  These foreign objects, including watch batteries, blades, nails, and other metal fragments, were discovered during medical check-ups across multiple hospitals, leaving his family and doctors stunned.  The ordeal began when Aditya experienced severe stomach pain and breathing difficulties, prompting visits to hospitals in Hathras, Jaipur, Aligarh, and Noida. Initially, an ultrasound revealed 19 items in his stomach, but further scans uncovered a total of 56 metal fragments.  About the discovery Sanchit Sharma shared that multiple medical examinations were conducted on Aditya at various hospitals across Uttar Pradesh, Jaipur, and Delhi, which confirmed the presence of 56 objects inside his stomach. Speaking on how the issue was dete...

 DeSantis floats Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo as candidate for Trump's HHS secretary Following Donald Trump’s decisive victory in the US presidential election, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is positioning his controversial surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, as a potential addition to Trump’s incoming administration. On Wednesday afternoon, DeSantis took to X (formerly Twitter) to float the idea of Ladapo leading the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Retweet if you’d like to see this man — Dr. Joseph Ladapo — serve as the secretary of HHS in the new Trump administration,” DeSantis wrote. The post has earned thousands of retweets and amassed more than 1 million views. Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis was one of the many people who endorsed her husband's idea by retweeting the post. On the heels of Trump's decisive 2024 presidential election victory, DeSantis declared Wednesday on X that Trump "not only earned a sweeping electoral victory,...

 BRICS: Russia Says It Won’t Ditch US Dollar After Trump’s Victory In a shocking twist for the BRICS alliance, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that they will not ditch the US dollar. In a sit-down interview Thursday, Putin confirmed that Russia is not abandoning the dollar, it is “simply refusing to use the dollar as a settlement tool.” Putin called the US dollar a “pillar of US power,” saying that the US is undoing this power. The BRICS bloc has long pushed its de-dollarization initiative, saying the greenback won’t be king for long. The alliance recently discussed de-dollarization at its October Summit, and multiple countries have decided to stop using the dollar. “The payments in dollars are decreasing,” Putin said. “Not too much, as of yet, but as a means of savings, it’s going down step by step. Very gradually it’s shrinking, it is a trend. It’s their own doing.” In regards to BRICS proposals of ditching the US dollar, the Russian president reaffirmed that “our propo...

 Canada Announces Cancellation Of Automatic 10-Year Multiple-Entry Visas While the multiple-entry visa previously allowed holders to enter and leave Canada freely, a government update said that the 10-year multiple-entry visa is no longer viewed as the “standard document.” The Canadian government has announced the cancellation of the 10-year multiple-entry visa for Nigerians and citizens of other countries. The authorities said that the cancellation of 10-year multiple-entry visa is part of the government’s efforts to curb immigration after experiencing a post-COVID population surge.  While the multiple-entry visa previously allowed holders to enter and leave Canada freely, a government update said that the 10-year multiple-entry visa is no longer viewed as the “standard document.” The update by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) added, “Guidance has been updated to indicate that multiple-entry visas issued to maximum validity are no longer considered to b...

  New York City Ends Controversial Food Voucher Program for Migrants New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the end of the migrant voucher program after a phone call with President-elect Donald Trump 48 hours after his victory. New York City has announced it will end its program of providing food vouchers to migrants, a decision that concludes a controversial initiative frequently criticized by conservatives and other groups. Under the pilot program, asylum seekers staying in hotels converted into shelters received preloaded Mastercards, providing about $350 per week for a family of four to cover groceries and baby supplies. The city awarded a $53 million one-year “emergency” contract to New Jersey-based tech startup Mobility Capital Finance, bypassing the usual competitive bidding process, a decision that sparked significant backlash. “As we move towards more competitive contracting for asylum seeker programs, we have chosen not to renew the emergency contract for this pilot pro...

 FULL LIST: Tems, Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido make 2025 Grammy nominations The 2025 Grammy nominations have been revealed, presenting a star-studded lineup of artists, albums, and songs competing for honours at the 67th annual ceremony. Scheduled for 2 February at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, the event will celebrate recordings released between 16 September 2023 and 30 August 2024. Leading this year’s nominations with 11 is Beyoncé, whose genre-blending album Cowboy Carter is up for major categories, including Record, Song, and Album of the Year, as well as pop, rap, country, and Americana fields. This brings Beyoncé’s career total to a remarkable 99 nominations, further cementing her record-breaking status, Our Culture reported on Friday. Tems top Nigeria nominations Among the notable nominees for the new Best African Music Performance category are Yemi Alade, Asake & Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, and Tems. Tems leads the Nigerian nominees with three nominations. In the Best Gl...