PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 Jon Stewart is calling out ABC News for what he sees as a massive double standard in journalism.  Veteran reporter Terry Moran was fired after 28 years for a since-deleted social media post calling President Trump and aide Stephen Miller "world-class haters."   Stewart didn't mince words, calling the decision "so stupid" and ABC News "a f—ing joke." He argues that while Fox News personalities say "utterly vicious things about democratic politicians" daily, ABC fired a respected journalist for one critical post.  What do you think - was ABC right to maintain their "objectivity" standards, or is this media bias in action? 

 I would have sued Tinubu if my name was mistakenly added on the list of “National Award” —- Omoyele Sowore  Popular publisher and activist, Omoyele Sowore, says he would take legal action for defamation if his name is “mistakenly” included in any national honours list released by President Bola Tinubu. Sowore, who is also the convener of the #RevolutionNow movement and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, made the statement on Friday via his social media handles, in what appeared to be a reaction to ongoing speculation about possible recipients of national awards in 2025. “If I were mistakenly included by Tinubu on his ‘National Award’ list, I would not only reject and denounce the award but also take definitive legal action for defamation,” Sowore wrote.

 Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered a blistering critique of both political parties while discussing the ongoing ICE raids and protests in Los Angeles.  Speaking at the red carpet premiere of his Netflix series "Fubar," the former Republican governor of California didn't mince words about the immigration crisis.  "This is the result of Democrats and Republicans not being able to come together in this immigration reform," Schwarzenegger stated, adding that politicians have been avoiding the subject for decades because "it's an advantage to both parties to not do it."  The Terminator star's most damning assessment? "They're all political hacks, party hacks, rather than public servants." He emphasized that proper immigration reform would eliminate the need for mass arrests and deportations currently happening across Los Angeles.  Trump has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to the protests that erupted follo...

 Press Release  Nigeria on path of economic renewal and global respect - Information Minister tells Forbes As Nigeria marks 26 years since the return to democratic rule, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to rebuilding the nation’s economy, restoring investor confidence, and deepening democratic values. In an exclusive interview with Forbes Africa to mark the Democracy Day celebration, the Minister defended President Tinubu’s bold reform agenda, which includes the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates — two of the most significant policy shifts in Nigeria’s recent economic history. “These were difficult decisions that had to be made,” the Minister told Forbes Africa. “They caused some turbulence, but like an aircraft taking off, we are now reaching stability. The World Bank has noted our return to growth levels not seen in over a decade.” The Minister said th...

 STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE SOLUDO: PRESIDENT TINUBU RESCUED THE ECONOMY FROM THE TIPPING POINT, RETURNED PUBLIC FINANCE TO SOLVENCY   Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has declared that President Bola Tinubu's administration salvaged Nigeria's public finances from the brink of collapse.   In an address delivered on June 12 at The Platform Nigeria, hosted by Pastor Poju Oyemade and The Covenant Nation, Governor Soludo praised President Tinubu's economic reforms. He called for a nationwide ethical and ideological rebirth to drive sustainable national development.   Speaking on the theme "Rebuilding Our Nation," Soludo urged political parties across the country to unite along ideological lines as a first step toward a new, issue-based political culture.   "The audacious structural reforms embarked upon by the current administration of HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu have rescued the economy from the tipping point.   "The endorsements by the World Bank, IMF, Lon...

 In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israel carried out airstrikes on Iran in the early hours of Friday, June 13. Loud explosions were reported across Tehran as Israel launched “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting dozens of Iranian military and nuclear-related sites. According to Israeli officials, the strikes aimed to stop Iran’s nuclear programme, which they say has been advancing dangerously. One of the biggest blows came with the reported death of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Commander, Hossein Salami. Iranian state media confirmed his death, along with the deaths of other senior leaders, including another top Guard official and two nuclear scientists. The Israeli military claimed it struck at the core of Iran’s nuclear efforts, calling the attack a necessary step after years of failed diplomacy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation would continue “for as many days as it takes.” Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that a special state of em...

 Progress Update on the Akute-Lambe-Agbado Road Reconstruction Project The transformation of the Akute-Lambe-Agbado corridor is visibly underway, with heavy-duty construction equipment fully mobilized and executing earthworks across multiple sections. The scope of the project covers critical stretches, including Akute Bridge, Oke Aro, and Agbado Bridge, forming a vital link between densely populated communities in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. Recent site photos show significant progress in the following areas:  • Road grading and leveling are actively ongoing, with motor graders (SEM 920F) and bulldozers at work shaping the roadbed.  • Excavators and dump trucks are moving and depositing lateritic soil as part of the base preparation, with clear evidence of material layering to ensure durability.  • Removal of unsuitable  soil and replaced with good laterite.  Construction of drains and laybys will soon commence. This project is particularly str...

Heroic Driver and Soldiers Foil Kidnap Attempt on Aba–Umuahia Road, Rescuing Dozens A daring kidnap attempt targeting two fully loaded Coaster buses along the Aba–Umuahia expressway was thwarted yesterday, thanks to the bravery of a quick-thinking driver and the swift response of Nigerian soldiers at the Isialangwa military checkpoint. Eyewitnesses reported that six armed men, posing as passengers, boarded the buses at a busy Aba motor park. Shortly after departure, the assailants seized control, ordering the drivers to divert into a bush path. Defiant, one driver ignored the gunmen’s threats and sped toward the nearby Isialangwa checkpoint, risking his life and those of his passengers. Upon reaching the checkpoint, soldiers sprang into action, intercepting the attackers, disarming them, and rescuing all passengers unharmed. Firearms and ammunition were recovered, and the six suspects were arrested. Mr. Chukwuma Azode, State President of the Motor Union in Abia State, praised the drive...

 SEUN OGUNBAMBO MR. SEUN OGUNBAMBO, Managing Director of FARGO PETROLEUM AND GAS LIMITED, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly defrauding the federal government of Nigeria in bogus oil subsidy claims to the tune of Nine Hundred and Seventy Six Million, Six Hundred and Fifty Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Naira, Twenty Eight Kobo (N976, 653,110.28). He was starnding trial before a Lagos State High Court but disappeared after being released on bail. His co-defendants, Mamman Nasir Ali and Christian Taylor, were convicted and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment each on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Light complexioned Ogunbambo speaks English and Yoruba. His last known address is 2 Olamiyuyan Crescent, Ikoyi, Lagos.  Anybody having useful information as to his whereabouts should contact the Commission in its Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Gombe, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Benin, Kaduna, Sokoto, Makurdi, llorin, Maiduguri, Uyo and Abuja offices or through th...

The Delta State Police Command has arrested two men who appeared in a viral video smoking what appeared to be marijuana while sitting on a police patrol van and making obscene gestures at law enforcement officers. Watch video below. 

 ANAMBRA POLICE CONTINUES TO LEVERAGE ON COMMUNITY SUPPORT: ARRESTS ONE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN THE KIDNAP AND MURDER OF ONE MR GEORGE ONWURAH IN MAY 2024 AT NDIUKWUENU VILLAGE, ORUMBA NORTH LGA Emplaces operational plans to arrest other gang members Police Operatives attached to the Awgbu Divisional Headquarters leveraging on community support on 12th June 2025 by 10.20am arrested one Chimaobi Mbonu ‘m’ aged 19 years old allegedly a member of a kidnapping gang involved in the kidnap and murder of late Mr George Onwurah in May 2024 at Ndiukwuenu Village, Orumba North Local Government Area.  Preliminary information revealed that the said Chimaobi and some other gang members still at large kidnapped and tortured their victims to death after collecting ransom. The criminal gang is also responsible for the vandalization of the Community Health Care Centre, where they stole a lot of electrical materials and other valuables. Given the above, the Operatives have emplaced operat...

 Three Women Allege Assault at Port Harcourt Nightclub, Sparking Outrage Three young women have accused a man of physically assaulting them at Black Box nightclub in Port Harcourt, leaving one with a bloodied head, another with a broken tooth, and the third allegedly stripped and thrown down a staircase. The incident, which occurred during a birthday celebration, has triggered widespread outrage after the women shared videos of their injuries and ordeal online. According to the victims, trouble began when the man, accompanied by security personnel, confronted them, claiming they were recording him without consent. The women, who had paid for a reserved table, said the man forcibly occupied their space and became aggressive. “He said if they born me well, I should sit in the seat I paid for,” one victim recounted. The situation escalated, with the women alleging the man and his associates smashed bottles, causing severe injuries. “They broke my friend’s head. She was bleeding so bad...

 Assistant DHS Secretary TriciaOhio Responds Sharply to Kim Kardashian’s Criticism of Trump Immigration Policy A top Department of Homeland Security official fired back at Kim Kardashian Wednesday after the reality TV star described Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation raids as “inhumane.”  “@KimKardashian, which one of these convicted child molesters, murderers, drug traffickers and rapists would you like to stay in the county?“ Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in an X post directed at the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star. McLaughlin’s post included mugshots and violent profiles of four illegal migrants recently nabbed in ICE enforcement operations.  Among them, were: Eswin Uriel Castro, a previously deported illegal immigrant with criminal convictions for child molestation, being armed with a dangerous weapon; Gerardo Antonio-Palacios, a Mexican national with previous convictions for homicide and burglary; Antonio Benitez-Ugarte...

 EFCC Arraigns Top Executives of Sun Trust Bank over Alleged $12m Fraud The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Friday, June 13, 2025 arraigned the duo of Halima Buba and Innocent Mbagwu before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja for alleged fraud. The defendants, who are Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd and Executive Director/Chief Compliance Officer of SunTrust Bank Ltd, respectively are being prosecuted on a six-count charge, bordering on money laundering to the tune of $12 million (Twelve Million Dollars). Count two of the charge reads: “That you, HALIMA BUBA, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer SunTrust Bank Ltd, and INNOCENT MBAGWU being the Executive Director /Chief Compliance Officer SunTrust Bank Ltd on the 10th day of March, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court aided Femi Gbamgboye to make a cash payment of the sum of Three Million United States Dollars ($3,000,000) to Suleiman Muh...

 ‎Chuba Okadigbo international airport in Ebonyi commenced full flight operations Today ‎ Commercial flight operations at the Wilberforce Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke, have commenced following successful rehabilitation of its runway and six months of charter test flights. ‎ Few days ago ‎the Commissioner for Aviation and Technology, Dr. Ngozi Obichukwu, revealed that United Nigeria Airlines will commence scheduled commercial flights from June 13, offering routes from Onueke to Abuja and Lagos and today that became a reality as first commercial flight has landed at the airport  ‎ ‎For now operations will run twice a week—Abuja flights on Mondays and Lagos flights on Fridays. ‎ ‎ the commissioner for aviation in Ebonyi state, has stated that Honourable governor of Ebonyi Francis Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, has made air travel affordable by subsidizing ticket prices to a flat rate of ₦100,000 for both Lagos and Abuja routes—less than half the typical fare,” Dr. Obichukwu s...

  King Charles, accompanied by other members of The Royal Family, hosted a reception for recipients of The King’s Award for Enterprise at Windsor Castle yesterday, recognising some of the best British businesses.   The Royal Family met winners who are leading in their fields of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility.   The 2025 recipients of The King’s Award for Enterprise include: 🧸 Jellycat, which creates innovative, design-led branded toys and gifts, distributed globally.� 🛠️ The Deluxe Group, a fit-out contractor producing story-led interiors, which has completed work on Jurassic World, Disneyland Paris, and Universal Orlando’s new Harry Potter theme park.� 🏕️ Guernsey Glamping, which uses ecofriendly practices and materials, minimising environmental impact– this is the first time a Guernsey company has received the King’s Award for Enterprise.

 Former Abia Governor Ikpeazu Defends Tenure, Says He Never Promised to Fix All Problems Okezie Ikpeazu, who served as governor of Abia State from 2015 to 2023, has stated that he never promised to solve all of the state’s challenges during his eight-year tenure. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, the former governor defended his administration, emphasizing that his manifesto was grounded in modest and achievable goals. “I don’t regret anything because I was very humble and modest in my manifesto and in my social contract with the people of Abia,” Ikpeazu said. “I never promised that I would be able to do everything. The summary of my promise was that I was going to move Abia from where it was to a better place.” Ikpeazu urged the public to evaluate his tenure based on the benchmarks he set, citing improvements in life expectancy and poverty indices during his time in office. He also highlighted achievements in job creation, infrastructure, and youth empowerment, noting that his adm...

 ANAMBRA POLICE HAVE IN CUSTODY TWO SUSPECTS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN THE MURDER OF A SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD BOY: RECOVERS ONE AUTOMATIC PUMP ACTION GUN IN ONITSHA MAIN MARKET Police Operatives attached to the Onitsha Main Market Police Division leveraging on the support of some traders, have arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the murder of a 17-year old boy and recovered one automatic pump action gun.  Eyewitness account on 12th of June 2025 revealed that the suspects who were allegedly security operatives attempting to arrest a suspect started shooting indiscriminately and regretfully, a bullet hit the innocent boy.  The Commissioner of Police CP Ikoiye Orutugu fwc MNIPS PhD, while frowning at such avoidable and unprofessional behaviour of the security operatives, ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for a comprehensive investigation. *SP Tochukwu Ikenga* Police Public Relations Officer Anambra State Poli...

 A Texas man is facing charges after his now ex-girlfriend claimed he slipped Plan C in her drink causing her to lose her baby. A baby that she wanted and was excited about having. Plan C is a pregnancy termination pill.  38-year-old Justin Banta is facing charges of attempted Capital M*rder and tampering with evidence. These charges come after Banta, who works in technology for the Justice Department, allegedly slipped pregnancy ending drugs in his ex-girlfriends drink last October. Authorities also allege Justin Banta remotely connected to his phone and wiped evidence after it was confiscated.  According to his ex-girlfriend, she was involved in a relationship with Justin Banta last September when she learned she was pregnant. Banta urged her to terminate the pregnancy and even offered to cover the cost of ordering Plan C online. The woman adamantly refused. She repeatedly told Banta that she wanted the baby and she was keeping the baby. She was excited to have a baby o...

 LASAMBUS RECORDS 97.5% EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUCCESS IN FOUR YEARS … Zero Transit Deaths, Improved Survival Rates Mark Milestone Wins … Impersonators, Vandals Hindering Rescue Efforts The Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) has achieved an impressive 97.5% response rate to emergency calls between 2021 and 2025, responding to 44,152 out of 45,277 calls received. Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, who disclosed this today following a review of LASAMBUS operations and performance reports, noted that urgent public support is needed to sustain and improve its life-saving operations.  Dr. Ogunyemi described the achievement as evidence of the service’s dedication to providing swift and professional emergency medical response across the State. She, however, expressed concern over challenges affecting LASAMBUS operations, including impersonation, vandalism of assets, assault on personnel, and lack of public cooperation in traffic situations. She app...

 "Toyin, the children, and I celebrate our dear father, HRH (Dr) Prince Adekunle Ojora, OFR, CON, JP, the Otunba of Lagos and the Lisa of Ife, as he turns 93 today. We thank the Almighty for his life and pray for continued strength, good health, happiness, and many more years with us. Happy birthday, Baba! — Mai ɗakina Toyin da ƴaƴanmu da ni kaina muna taya babanmu, mai martabar Sarki Adekunle Ojora, OFR, CON, JP murnar zagayowar ranar haihuwarsa inda ya cika shekara 93 a duniya.  Muna godiya ga Allah mahalicci da ya bashi tsawon rai, sannan muna addu'ar Allah ya ci gaba da bashi ingantacciyar lafiya da ƙarfin gwiwa tare da farin ciki da kuma uwa uba shekaru masu amfani a nan gaba.  Happy birthday, Baba!". One more photo below. 

 EFCC Secures Conviction of  Nine  Internet Fraudsters in Awka The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction and sentence of nine  internet fraudsters before Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State on offences bordering on cybercrimes. The convicts are; Daniel Okochukwu Okoh, Onwe Chidera Solomon, Hyacinth Chinedu Ani, Malachy Makuochi Adonu, Udeh Collins Chidimma, Ukoro Victor Somto, Ezekiel Valentine Chidubem, Ugwuanyi Kingsley Chinwetalu and Obi Ezeanyim Eric Ifesinachi.    While Chidimma and Adonu were prosecuted on two-count separate charges, the remaining convicts were prosecuted on one-count separate charges, all bordering on identity theft and fraudulent personation. The charge against Somto reads; “That you, Ukoro Victor Somto “Male” (21 years), sometime in 2025, in Enugu, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, with fraudu...