PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 COMMANDER OPWS ENGAGES MIYETTI ALLAH LEADERS IN STRATEGIC STAKEHOLDER MEETING TO TACKLE INSECURITY IN BENUE STATE In a renewed effort to decisively address the persistent security challenges plaguing Benue State and its environs, the Commander Joint Task Force Operation WHIRL STROKE (OPWS), Major General Moses Gara has convened a high  level security engagement with leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) at the Signature Hotel, Makurdi. The closed door meeting, which brought together critical stakeholders including security agencies and local government authorities, focused on resolving long-standing issues such as farmer/herder conflicts, targeted and retaliatory killings, kidnapping, and cattle rustling factors that have significantly undermined peace and stability in the region. Major General Gara reaffirmed the commitment of OPWS to restoring law and order through inclusive dialogue and multi-stakeholder collaboration. He urged MACBA...

 STATEHOUSE PRESS STATEMENT WE HAVE MADE UNDENIABLE PROGRESS:  PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU'S STATEMENT ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ADMINISTRATION ON MAY 29, 2025 Fellow Nigerians, as we mark the second anniversary of our administration, I salute your resilience and undaunted spirit. Two years ago, you entrusted me with the sacred responsibility to lead our nation at a time of historic challenges. Together, we have faced these headwinds with courage and determination. The economic and general situation of the country I inherited required that we redirect the country's affairs with a bold and new vision. I immediately implemented two necessary policies to stop our country from further drifting into the precipice. It was apparent that if the federal government and the other two tiers of government must remain viable and cater to the citizens' welfare, we must do away with decades-long fuel subsidies and the corruption-ridden multiple foreign exchange windows. The two were no lo...

 The wait is finally over! HBO's highly anticipated Harry Potter television series has found its magical trio after an extensive casting process that saw over 30,000 young actors audition for the iconic roles. Meet your new golden trio: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. These talented newcomers are about to embark on the same extraordinary journey that launched Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint to international stardom two decades ago. The series promises to bring fresh magic to our screens with an impressive ensemble cast that includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. With filming set to begin this summer, fans can expect a faithful adaptation that honors J.K. Rowling's beloved wizarding world.

 The end of an era: Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness have officially moved forward with their divorce proceedings nearly two years after announcing their separation. Furness, 69, filed for divorce in New York this week, with legal documents indicating the split remains uncontested and amicable. The former couple, who wed in 1996 and share two children, announced their separation in September 2023 after 27 years of marriage, stating they were "pursuing individual growth" while maintaining their commitment as co-parents. Sources close to the pair emphasized that the decision wasn't made lightly, describing it as "very hard" but mutual. The divorce filing includes settlements regarding healthcare coverage and child support, requiring only a judge's signature to be finalized. Both actors have been moving forward with their separate journeys - Furness recently appeared at the Parsons School of Design benefit, while Jackman continues his Broadway and concert p...

 Imprisoned Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight has made a stunning prediction about Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial outcome in a revealing prison interview. Speaking to NewsNation's Chris Cuomo, Knight boldly claimed that President Donald Trump would pardon Diddy if the music mogul is convicted on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. His reasoning? Trump previously commuted the sentence of Knight's Death Row Records co-founder Michael Harris in 2021 for attempted murder and drug trafficking charges. "I think he's got some favors with the government," Knight said from his prison cell where he's serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter. "Puffy's gonna be alright... Trump's gonna pardon him." Knight also controversially suggested that Diddy's "influence" could impact potential jurors, stating someone might "talk to those jurors and convince o...

 After more than two years of separation, the Chrisley family is finally getting their happily ever after. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has granted full presidential pardons to Todd and Julie Chrisley, who have been serving time in federal prison since January 2023 for tax evasion and bank fraud convictions. The reality TV stars, known for their hit show "Chrisley Knows Best," were originally sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison. During their incarceration, their 27-year-old daughter Savannah stepped up as guardian to her younger siblings, 19-year-old Grayson and 12-year-old Chloe, while tirelessly advocating for her parents' freedom. This pardon represents more than just legal relief—it's a testament to the power of family loyalty and perseverance. Savannah's unwavering dedication to her parents' case, including speaking at the Republican National Convention, demonstrates how personal conviction can influence political outcomes. The ...

 Olympic gymnastics icon Mary Lou Retton faces DUI charges after a troubling incident in West Virginia on May 17.  The 1984 gold medalist was found in her Porsche with a wine bottle in the passenger seat, reportedly slurring her words and failing field sobriety tests. This comes just over a year after her near-fatal pneumonia battle that left her fighting for her life in the ICU.  The mother of four daughters has faced tremendous health challenges, and now this legal issue adds another layer of difficulty. It's a reminder that even our heroes struggle with personal battles. What are your thoughts on supporting public figures through their darkest moments?

  Jeanine Pirro Pledges 'No More Mercy for Criminals' as She Is Sworn In as Interim U.S. Attorney In a move that has stirred both praise and controversy, Jeanine Pirro was officially sworn in today as the interim United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), pledging a hardline stance on crime in one of the nation’s most powerful prosecutorial offices. Standing before a crowd of federal officials, law enforcement personnel, and media representatives at the SDNY courthouse in Lower Manhattan, Pirro delivered a fiery inaugural address marked by her signature tough-on-crime rhetoric. “There will be no more mercy for criminals,” Pirro declared. “This office will be unapologetically committed to law and order, to protecting the innocent, and to ensuring that those who break the law face swift and certain justice.” The appointment comes after the abrupt resignation of former U.S. Attorney Daniel Goldman, who stepped down earlier this month amid internal disagre...

 PRESS RELEASE IGP COMMENDS POLICE AFFAIRS MINISTRY OVER DONATION OF LIGHT TACTICAL ARMOURED VEHICLES (LTAVs) The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has expressed profound appreciation to the Ministry of Police Affairs for the donation of Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles (LTAVs) to the Nigeria Police Force. The LTAVs were formally handed over during a brief but significant ceremony held today at the Ministry’s headquarters, Federal Secretariat, Abuja, today 28th May, 2025. The event, chaired by the Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, was attended by key dignitaries including the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Anuma Ogbonnaya, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, the Force Transport Officer, and other major stakeholders. In his address, the Honourable Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the Nigeria Police Force through ...

 “I WALKED THESE SAME GROUNDS AS A BOY”: CAS RETURNS TO ALMA MATER WITH MESSAGE OF HOPE AND INSPIRATION In an emotionally charged visit with a powerful call to a life of excellence and purpose, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, on 27 May 2025, returned to the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria, his alma mater, where he charged young boys to look to the future with hope and preparedness. Speaking not just as CAS but as an Ex-boy, Air Marshal Abubakar, during an interactive session with the students, reflected on how the institution shaped his life and set him on the path to military and personal excellence. “I stand here today as living proof that with discipline, purpose, and God's grace, no dream is too big to achieve,” he declared, drawing loud cheers from the assembled students. He reminded the students that time moves quickly and urged them to understand that “greatness doesn’t happen overnight; it begins with small acts of excellence done co...

 PRESS RELEASE  ENUGU POLICE ARREST 21-YEAR-OLD AND ACCOMPLICES OVER STAGED KIDNAPPING AND ₦2 MILLION RANSOM FRAUD, RECOVER FIREARM, AMMUNITION Operatives of the Enugu State Police Command, attached to the Nsukka Sector of the Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad, arrested four male suspects on May 24, 2025, at about 1 p.m., for conspiracy, staged kidnapping, and defrauding the parents of a staged kidnapping victim of ₦2,000,000.00. The suspects include Chidera Godwin Ako, aged 21, who orchestrated his own kidnapping; Okechukwu Philip Chidalu, aged 19; Ifeanyi Ugwu, aged 20; and Ossai Chigozie, aged 35, recently released from the Nigerian Correctional Service custodial centre. A locally made single-barrel gun and two live cartridges were recovered from the suspects. Chidera was reported missing on May 4, 2025. Subsequently, on May 21, 2025, his accomplices used his phone to demand a ₦10,000,00.00 ransom from his parents, sending a video of him bound, appearing beaten, with the recovere...

 GOV. ALIA LAMENTS INABILITY TO TAME BENUE KILLERS 28th May, 2025    Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has expressed frustration over the worsening security situation in the state, stating that despite his best efforts, insecurity continues to escalate. Speaking through his media aide, Kula Tersoo, the governor lamented that even with the deployment of additional security personnel and visits by security chiefs, not a single terrorist had been apprehended. Governor Alia was responding to criticisms from a faction of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State, loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, which claimed that the governor lacked the capacity to handle the state’s growing insecurity. The Akume camp, while referencing the latest attacks which claimed 42 lives, accused Alia of being helpless and confused, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene. Pushing back, however, Alia’s media aide, ...

 Nigerian man accused of rape ‘was not permitted to work in UK’ Morenikeji Adewole, 47, from Dartford, Kent, is on trial accused of raping a woman in his car near the venue in the early hours of November 1 2024, which he denies. The drunk 19-year-old was in tears when she met her friends after allegedly being raped by a Heaven nightclub security guard, a court has heard. CCTV from the night shows hundreds of people wearing fancy dress in the Heaven smoking area, the street and in the queue. The complainant, who cannot be identified, and five friends had been drinking vodka mixers before arriving and they queued for more than two hours, Southwark Crown Court heard on Thursday. She and one of the group were denied entry to the central London venue’s Halloween event because they were too intoxicated, the court was told. The friend who was also rejected described himself being “eight out of 10” on a scale of intoxication, meaning “very, very drunk”. A security guard walked them to near...

 Five suspects apprehended for illegal mining and immigration offences  Five suspects have been arrested during separate operations conducted under Operation Vala Umgodi on Monday, 26 May 2025, across the Capricorn, Mopani, and Vhembe Districts. In the Capricorn District, two men aged 35 and 36 were caught engaging in illegal sand mining in the Sebayeng Policing area. A white Hino truck used to load the sand was confiscated after the suspects failed to produce a valid mining permit. In separate incidents in the Mopani and Vhembe Districts, three suspects aged between 25 and 40 were apprehended for contravening immigration laws. These arrests took place in the Maake and Malamulele Policing areas. All five suspects are expected to appear in their respective local Magistrate’s Courts soon. Authorities have confirmed that operations targeting illegal mining and undocumented persons will continue across the province. More photos below. 

 29-year-old man arrested for illegal firearm and stolen property in Lusaka village A 29-year-old male suspect was arrested on Monday, 26 May 2025, for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, as well as suspected stolen property, in Lusaka Village near Tzaneen. The arrest was carried out around midday by members of the Mopani Tracking Team and Mopani Highway Patrol. Officers were conducting routine tracking duties in the Ritavi policing area when they received intelligence about a man allegedly in possession of a firearm. A search was conducted at the suspect’s residence, where police discovered a firearm with live ammunition hidden in his room. A flash machine, suspected to be stolen, was also found stored in a fridge. The suspect failed to produce a firearm licence and was immediately arrested. A case has been opened at Ritavi Police Station. He is expected to appear in the Nkowankowa Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, 28 May 2025. More photos below. 

 Lawyers Demand Senators Refund Salaries for Poor Performance, Dual Legislative Roles The Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners (ALDRAP) has initiated legal action to compel Nigerian senators to refund portions of their salaries and allowances collected since May 2023, citing alleged poor performance and violations of constitutional provisions. In a pre-action notice dated May 26, 2025, addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, ALDRAP demanded that the 109 senators of the 10th National Assembly refund 78% of their salaries and allowances for delivering only 12% of their statutory duties to constituents, whom the lawyers describe as dissatisfied consumers. The notice, signed by ALDRAP’s Administrative Secretary, Amuga Jesse Williams, was obtained by DAILY POST on Tuesday. Additionally, the group is targeting 40 senators who concurrently hold membership in the Nigerian Senate and the ECOWAS or Pan-African parliaments, alleging this violates Section 68 o...

 Akwa Ibom Governor Eno Addresses Eviction of Media Outlet Crew from Government House Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has clarified the circumstances surrounding the removal of a media outlet’s correspondent, Chris Mofatt, and his cameraman from the Government House Press Corps in Uyo, dismissing claims of punitive action. The decision, which followed the release of a viral video showing the governor announcing his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), sparked widespread controversy. Speaking to journalists, Governor Eno emphasized that the removal was not an eviction but a routine reassignment within standard procedure. “I think it’s within the purview of the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to change correspondents within the Government House,” Eno stated, as reported by Vanguard. “It is practised all over the world. If you have served at a post for up to 10 years and the CPS decides to ask for a replacement, that is not a fight. Th...

 Senate Advances ₦1.48 Trillion Rivers State Budget for 2025 Amid Emergency Rule The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill for second reading, authorizing the release of ₦1.48 trillion from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for Rivers State’s 2025 fiscal year budget. Titled “A Bill for an Act to Authorise the Issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State,” the legislation was presented during plenary by Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele. The proposed budget allocates ₦120.8 billion for debt servicing, ₦287.3 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and ₦1.07 trillion for capital expenditure. According to Bamidele, the budget is structured to ensure seamless government operations under the current emergency governance framework in Rivers State while promoting inclusive growth and improving residents’ living standards. The bill has been referred to the Senate’s ad hoc committee on Rivers emergency rule for further review, with a directive to report back within two weeks...

 FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE ABUJA  PRESS STATEMENT  RE: NIGERIA’S  EXTERNAL BORROWING PLAN FOR 2024 -2026 On May 27, 2025, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, formally requested the approval of the 2024 – 2026 External Borrowing Rolling Plan from the National Assembly. This press release  provides context and clarification on the purpose and significance of the request. The proposed Borrowing Rolling Plan is an essential component of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) in accordance with both the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and the DMO Act 2003. The Plan outlines the external borrowing framework for both the federal and sub-national governments over a three-year period, accompanied by five detailed appendices on the projects, terms and conditions, implementation period, etc. By adopting a structured, forward-looking approach, the plan facilitates comprehensive financial planning and avoids the in...

  SON Raises Alarm Over Adulterated Engine Oil The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has warned against the rising influx of adulterated lubricants and engine oil, citing risks to vehicles, machinery, and the economy.  At a sensitisation workshop in Osogbo, SON Director-General, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, urged stakeholders to promote certified products, noting that substandard oils shorten engine lifespan, increase maintenance costs, and harm productivity. He called for collective action to ensure a safer, high-quality lubricants market.

 Namibia marks German colonial genocide with calls for reparations President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah repeated calls Wednesday for Germany to pay reparations for its genocide against Namibian tribes as she led the first official commemoration of the atrocity more than 120 years ago, AFP reported. Thousands of indigenous Herero and Nama people were massacred by colonial-era German troops between 1904 and 1908 after they rebelled against their rule in what is regarded as the first genocide of the 20th century. "We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German government has agreed that the German troops committed a genocide against the ... people of our land," Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the ceremony held in the gardens of parliament. Berlin has offered an apology but there is still no agreement on reparations in talks that began with the German government in 2013, she said. "We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier on until the ultimate conclusio...

 Ogun Govt Condemns Protest, Reaffirms Commitment to Athletes' Welfare The Ogun State Government has described as regrettable the protest staged by some athletes representing the state at the ongoing National Sports Festival over delayed allowances. In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the government expressed its disappointment, stating that the protest was inconsistent with the values and objectives the state upholds. He noted that the athletes acted out of impatience, as all necessary arrangements had been concluded for the payment of their allowances on Tuesday. “Governor Dapo Abiodun remains deeply sensitive and committed to the welfare of all participants at the festival. There is no circumstance under which he would allow Ogun athletes to suffer or be neglected. “The protest earlier today by a few athletes is not only unfortunate but also uncalled for. It stands in stark contrast to the immense success the ...

 Court Jails Three Internet Fraudsters in Kwara    Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ilorin on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 convicted and sentenced the trio of Ibrahim Ajisafe Oladimeji, Hassan Abdulmalik Temitope and Babatunde David Olusegun to jail for fraud. They were prosecuted by the Ilorin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on separate charges that border on impersonation and cybercrime.   The charge against Temitope reads: "That you, Hassan Abdulmalik Temitope (alias: Jane) sometime in the year 2024, within the Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, did fraudulently impersonate one Jane vide your created 2 backpage account with the intent to obtain and did obtain from one John Gary the gross sum of $2,500 (Two Thousand Five Hundred US Dollars) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (ii) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition Prevention Etc.) Act 2015 and punishable under Section...