PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 24th FIFA U20 World Cup: Flying Eagles target three points against Saudi Arabia  The Flying Eagles will be aiming for victory against Saudi Arabia on Matchday 2 in the ongoing FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Chile, after a painful loss to Norway in their first group game on Monday.  Despite dominating the game and creating a number of opportunities, the seven-time African champions were unlucky not to have equalized in the second half of the encounter, and probably taken the three points. On two occasions, their appeals for penalty awards were turned down by the referee.  Victory against Saudi Arabia will put the two-time World Cup runners-up in a good position to qualify for the championship’s Round of 16, ahead of their clash with Colombia on Sunday.    Head Coach Aliyu Zubair is upbeat his wards have shaken off the defeat against Norway as their attention has shifted towards the confrontation with Saudi Arabia, to ensure the team gets the desired resu...

 Kogi State Government Mourns Victims Of Ibaji Boat Mishap                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            ...

 NIG @ 65: FG COMMITS TO POWERING THE NATION WITH RENEWABLES The Federal Government says as Nigeria matches towards greatness, the renewed hope solarization project is one key initiative of the present administration that is delivering clean and affordable electricity to millions of Nigerians  A statement by the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi on the occasion of Nigeria's 65 independence anniversary states that the solarization project of the present administration remains the most ambitious project by any government since independence to electrify communities in the country  The solarization project will in addition deliver significant economic and social benefits including job creation in solar manufacturing installation and maintenance while fostering innovation among Nigerian engineers and entrepreneurs. Energy Commission of Nigeria which is driving the broader energy reform restates that the solarization project is expecte...

 East London Court Convicts Julius Malema The East London Magistrate's Court in the Eastern Cape, South Africa has found Economic Freedom Fighters (#EFF) leader Julius Malema guilty of discharging a firearm during the party's 5th anniversary celebration in 2018.  His former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, was acquitted of charges related to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The verdict marks a pivotal moment in the high-profile case, which has drawn widespread attention.

 NIGERIA @65: OSUN STATTE GOVERNOR GRANTS AMNESTY TO 36 CONVICTS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Osun State Governor, Senator  Ademola  Adeleke has granted amnesty to 36 convicts to comme...

 Nigeria's Independence and Food Security  As Nigeria celebrates its 65th Independence Day, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and all Nigerians, highlighting the nation’s strides toward food security and economic independence. In a statement commemorating the milestone, Senator Kyari reflected on the sacrifices of Nigeria’s forebears who secured political freedom in 1960.  He emphasized that true independence extends beyond politics to achieving agricultural and economic self-reliance. He said under President Tinubu’s leadership, agriculture has taken center stage as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy.  The administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda has introduced bold policies to empower smallholder farmers with improved seeds, fertilizers, and modern farming techniques.  These initiatives aim to boost productivity, reduce reliance on food imports, and ensur...

 We are under a curse – Dogara laments insecurity, poverty in north Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has warned that the scale of killings and bloodshed in northern Nigeria has placed the region under a spiritual curse, stressing that the crisis must now be treated as a national emergency. Dogara, speaking on Tuesday during a panel session at the Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit (NNIIS) 2025 organised by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) in Abuja, said the situation had gone beyond ordinary socio-political concerns. “With the kind of bloodletting we are witnessing in the North, if you are a person of faith, you will know that we are operating under a curse because it is human blood,” the former Speaker said. He lamented that insecurity and poverty in the region had reached catastrophic levels, warning that Nigeria’s overall progress would remain stalled unless urgent steps were taken to address the crisis. “The development of northern Nige...

 Court Jails Two for Impersonation in Lagos Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, convicted and sentenced the duo of Joshua Victor David and Abdulmalik Adesanya Olayiwola to one year imprisonment each for impersonation. They were arraigned on  one-count separate charges  bordering on fraudulent impersonation by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The charge against David reads:  "That you, Joshua Victor David, sometime in August, 2025, at Lagos, within the Judicial Division of this Honourable Court, fraudulently impersonated one “Clara Jane” by holding yourself out as such to one John Brill, an unsuspecting victim, via email address monexmindedloas767@gmail.com, with intent to gain advantage for yourself; and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015...

 Rivers State Chief Judge Reaffirms Judiciary’s support for EFCC The Chief Judge of Rivers State,  Justice Simeon Amadi, has reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to maintaining a cordial working relationship with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He gave the assurance in Port Harcourt, Rivers State  while receiving the newly appointed Acting Zonal Director of the EFCC,  Port Harcourt Zonal Directorate,  Assistant commander of the EFCC, ACE1 Hassan Saidu, who paid him a courtesy visit. Welcoming the EFCC zonal Director, the Chief Judge recalled that he had always maintained a close professional relationship with the Commission, having served  among the second set of judges designated to hear EFCC cases before assuming his current position. “The relationship between the Rivers State Judiciary and EFCC has always been cordial, and during my tenure it will continue . “We will always do our best to maintain this relationship. One of the ways t...

 EFCC Arrests 92 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Benin-City Operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,   EFCC,  have arrested 92 suspected internet fraudsters in Edo State. They were arrested in a sting operation on Monday, September 29, 2025 at various locations within Benin City, Edo State. Their arrest was based on credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in computer related crimes. All the lawful procedures of arrest were followed in the course of the arrest Upon their arrest, 11 vehicles and mobile devices were recovered from them. Preliminary investigations by the Commission linked the suspects with various forms of internet-related fraud They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

 Nigerian Deportee Stranded in Togo After Secret Transfer from Ghana A Nigerian man, deported from the United States to Ghana, has found himself stranded in Togo after Ghanaian officials allegedly transferred him and five others across the border without notifying Togolese authorities, according to a BBC report on Wednesday. Speaking anonymously to the BBC, the man revealed that the group was misled into believing they were being moved from a military camp in Ghana to better accommodations. Instead, they were covertly transported into Togo via a back route, with local police allegedly bribed to facilitate the transfer. “They did not take us through the main border; they took us through the back door,” he said. “They paid the police there and dropped us in Togo.” Four of the deportees—three Nigerians and one Liberian—are now staying in a hotel in Lomé, Togo’s capital, relying on hotel staff to receive financial aid from relatives abroad due to their lack of documentation. “We’re str...

PRESS RELEASE I/10/2025 Abia State Police Command Commences Enforcement of Tinted Glass Permits 1. In line with existing Federal laws and directives, and following extensive public enlightenment through various media platforms, and extensions of enforcement period to allow members of the public ample time to obtain their tinted glass permits. 2. The Abia State Police Command wishes to inform the public that the enforcement of tinted glass permits will commence on Thursday, 2nd October 2025. 3. Since the online registration process is currently ongoing, members of the public who are yet to obtain their permits are advised to: Visit the Nigeria Police Specialized Services Automation Project (POSSAP) via the official website: www.possap.gov.ng. Visit the State Intelligence Department (SID) of the Command for capturing. Contact the official support channels of POSSAP as follows: • 📞 02018884040 • 📧 info@possap.gov.ng •     * ⁠💻 Social Media:       * ⁠ ⁠...

 Ikpeazu Commends Anyanwu’s Effort to Reposition PDP Former Governor of Abia State and leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed optimism that the PDP will emerge stronger despite the challenges confronting the party both nationally and in some states. Ikpeazu, the fourth democratically elected Governor of Abia State, gave this assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, at his Abuja residence as part of activities to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day anniversary. Speaking during the visit, Dr. Ikpeazu noted that the PDP remains a formidable political force in Nigeria and in Abia State, stressing that the party’s resilience over the years has shown its capacity to bounce back stronger. “The PDP has gone through storms in the past and has always found the strength to reinvent itself. I have no doubt that, working together, we will come out stronger and more united to serve...

 Abia Health Workers Protest Exclusion from New CONHESS Salary Structure, Demand Equal Treatment Health workers across Abia State's 17 local government areas staged a protest at the Government House today, voicing frustration over the state's uneven implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and the latest minimum wage adjustments. Demonstrators, representing various professional groups, accused the government of favoring nurses while sidelining other essential health personnel, exacerbating long-standing inequities in the sector. The protest, organized by unions including the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), highlighted the government's recent rollout of the updated salary framework, which has been applied exclusively to nurses in primary health centers across the local governments. Affected workers, including laboratory scientists, community health extension workers (CHEWs), environmental health officers, optometrists, and pha...

 OBI WRONG ON TRADE FAIR COMPLEX  Ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has visited the Trade Fair Complex where Lagos State Government enforced its Physical Planning Laws.  He praised the traders for what he called their “restraint”, adding that the buildings that were knocked down had approvals.  He launched into emotional theatrics, describing the incident as “a test of impunity, justice and compassion” - all in an effort to mislead the public by misinformation and disinformation. This is unfair.  Here are the facts of the matter: The owners of the building have no approval. They got ample time to regularise their papers when the state government declared last year a general amnesty, which was extended several times. The owners shunned the offer. When Physical Planning officials visited the complex, the gates were locked against them; they were beaten up. The police rescued them. When the government called the owners for talks, they said they would...

 John Cena to headline Saturday night’s WWE finale match John Cena will step into the ring for his final WWE match this December, concluding a year-long farewell tour that included appearances at WrestleMania 41 and SummerSlam. The WWE confirmed Tuesday that Cena will headline Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. The streaming event will be available exclusively on Peacock, though his opponent has not yet been announced. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque praised Cena’s impact on the company, calling him “immeasurable” and saying the event will honor his legacy. Cena first signed with WWE in 2001 and became a 17-time world champion, gradually transitioning to part-time in 2018 as he pursued his acting career in films like Daddy’s Home, Blockers, and The Suicide Squad, as well as his HBO Max series Peacemaker. Cena announced his retirement last summer during a surprise appearance at Money in the Bank in Toronto and has s...

 Device for detecting deep Lung Tumors shows promise in trial A Cutting-Edge Robot-Assisted Bronchoscope shows promise in detecting small Lung Tumors, according to clinical trial results presented at a European Respiratory Society meeting in Amsterdam. The device uses specialized CT scans to locate tumors deep within the lung’s most difficult-to-reach areas. A robotic system then guides the bronchoscope to these regions, allowing doctors to take biopsies and confirm whether the tissue is cancerous. “The technology allows specialists to access nearly any region of the lung, meaning we can offer biopsy to more patients and diagnose cancers earlier when treatment is more effective,” said lead researcher Dr. Carolin Steinack, senior attending pulmonologist at University Hospital Zurich in Switzerland. Aleš Rozman, chair of the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on interventional pulmonology, said the technology could help identify and treat lung cancers at earlier, more manage...

 US and Mexico strike agreement to curb arms trafficking Mexico and the United States announced a new bilateral security agreement aimed at curbing the flow of illegal firearms into Mexican territory. Negotiated during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Mexico in early September, the pact, unveiled Saturday, includes real-time information sharing, coordinated operations, and the use of advanced forensic technology to trace weapons. President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted that, for the first time, the U.S. will carry out operations on its own soil to prevent high-powered firearms from crossing the southern border—a longstanding demand from Mexico. “Normally, they ask Mexico to conduct operations to stop drugs from entering the United States. For the first time, the United States recognizes that it must carry out operations to control the illegal flow of weapons into Mexico,” she said. The president noted that roughly 75% of firearms seized in Mexico originate from the U.S., m...

Poland arrests suspect in 2022 Nord Stream pipeline blast Polish authorities have arrested a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 explosions that damaged Europe’s Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. The suspect, a trained diver known by the alias “Volodymyr Z,” was detained early Tuesday near Warsaw. German authorities had issued a European Arrest Warrant for him last August, and extradition proceedings are now underway. The man’s lawyer confirmed the arrest, stating it is related to the Nord Stream 2 incident. German prosecutors allege the suspect was part of a group that planted explosive devices on Nord Stream 1 and 2, causing detonations nearly three years ago. Polish officials said he participated in the dives required for the operation and is suspected of causing the explosions, described as “anti-constitutional sabotage” and destruction of infrastructure. Investigations into the blasts have been conducted by Germany, Sweden, and Denmark, though the latter ...

 Elon Musk unveils 'Grokipedia' to rival Wikipedia  Elon Musk’s company xAI is set to launch “Grokipedia,” a new platform aimed at competing with Wikipedia, promising what Musk calls a major improvement over the well-known open-source site. The platform will be powered by xAI’s Grok AI chatbot and is intended to help the company better understand the world and the universe. Musk announced the project in a series of posts on X, inviting people to join xAI and “help build Grokipedia,” which he described as an “open-source knowledge repository that is vastly better than Wikipedia.” He added that Grokipedia will be publicly accessible with no usage limits and will employ artificial intelligence to automatically correct errors, aiming to ensure that content is accurate and factual. Investor David Sacks also joined the discussion, criticizing Wikipedia as “hopelessly biased” and maintained by “an army of left-wing activists” who resist reasonable corrections. Sacks argued that Wikip...

 Chicago police arrest suspected Tren de Aragua cartel members in operation About 300 federal officers and agents from multiple agencies carried out a major raid early Tuesday on a South Side Chicago apartment building, targeting suspected members of the Tren de Aragua prison gang, which officials say has been terrorizing residents and running criminal operations in the area. The operation, part of the ongoing Operation Midway Blitz, involved officers rappelling from Black Hawk helicopters to secure the building perimeter before entering after gang members refused to open the doors. Preliminary reports indicate that at least 30 immigrants in the country illegally were arrested during the raid. Agencies involved included the U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Some U.S. citizens were temporarily detained as part of standard safety protocols during the operation. U.S. Border Patrol commander-a...

 Snoop Dogg to appear again on NBCUniversal Winter Olympics coverage NBCUniversal announced Sunday night that Snoop Dogg will return to help cover the Olympics for NBC and Peacock. Following his role during the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, the rapper will head to Italy for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, which begin February 6 with the Opening Ceremony. NBCUniversal said Snoop will explore northern Italy, from the streets of Milan to the Dolomites, sharing his unique perspective with viewers during primetime coverage. Throughout the Games, Snoop will join NBC Olympics host Mike Tirico for the “Snoop’s Greatest Hits” segment, providing commentary on competitions, interacting with athletes and their families, and exploring local culture and landmarks. The announcement came during NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football broadcast of the Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys. “I am excited to be back with my main man, Mike Tirico, for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina,” Snoop said. ...

 Tyrese Gibson didn’t surrender after arrest warrant was issued for animal cruelty, police say Tyrese Gibson has not surrendered to authorities after an arrest warrant was issued against him in connection with a deadly dog attack in Georgia. Police said the warrant stems from a mid-September incident in which four Cane Corso dogs owned by the actor mauled and killed a neighbor’s small spaniel. Fulton County Police Captain Nicole Dwyer said the case is part of an “ongoing issue” involving repeated reports of Gibson’s dogs roaming the neighborhood. Officers had previously tried to cite the actor but were unable to reach him at his Atlanta home. Authorities said Gibson was warned multiple times about the dogs before the warrant was issued, and he was told to turn himself in by Friday but failed to do so. Dwyer emphasized the urgency of the case, citing concerns that repeated attacks posed a growing risk to public safety. Gibson’s lawyer, Gabe Banks, said the actor was not home during ...

 At least 69 killed in powerful earthquake in the Philippines  At least 69 people were killed when a powerful earthquake struck Cebu province in the central Philippines late Tuesday night, officials said, leaving residents trapped in collapsed homes, nightclubs, and other businesses in the city of Bogo and surrounding rural towns. The magnitude-6.9 quake hit around 10 p.m., originating from an undersea fault at a shallow depth of 5 kilometers (3 miles), about 19 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of Bogo, a coastal city of roughly 90,000 people. About half of the confirmed deaths were reported in Bogo, though officials warned the toll could rise as rescue operations continued. Army troops, police, and civilian volunteers, supported by backhoes and sniffer dogs, carried out house-to-house searches for survivors, but rain and damaged roads and bridges were hampering efforts. Officials said some residents were trapped under debris in mountain villages where landslides and boulders b...

 Munich Oktoberfest shuts down following bomb threat and fatal blast, police say Police in Munich announced that the city’s famous Oktoberfest would remain closed until Wednesday afternoon following a bomb threat tied to a deadly residential fire in northern Munich. Authorities said the festival grounds at Theresienwiese, west of the city center, would stay shut until 5 p.m. while officials assessed the threat. Police confirmed that a letter from the perpetrator linked the bomb threat to the fire, and further action would be determined later in the day. The fire broke out at a residential building in the Lerchenau neighborhood on Wednesday morning, claiming one life. Responding officers and firefighters reported hearing “loud bangs” and described the building as a “burning residential structure.” Police said the fire appeared to have been deliberately set during a family dispute. One person remains missing but is not considered a threat. Investigators later found explosive devices ...

 Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey call on Hamas to consider Trump’s Gaza peace proposal Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey are pressing Hamas to respond positively to President Trump's proposal aimed at ending the war in Gaza, sources familiar with the discussions said. The three countries, acting as mediators with close ties to Hamas, have met with the group’s leaders twice over the past 24 hours to convey the plan and encourage acceptance. Trump has given Hamas three to four days to respond to the proposal. Speaking Tuesday in Quantico, Virginia, he emphasized the importance of Hamas signing the plan, saying, “We have one signature that we need, and that signature will pay in hell if they don't sign. I hope they sign for their own good and create something really great.” U.S. and Israeli officials anticipate a generally positive response from Hamas, though some reservations are expected. Sources said that on Monday night, while Trump publicly unveiled the plan, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed b...

 Texas judge rules guns cannot be banned in post offices A federal judge in Texas ruled Tuesday that the U.S. government cannot constitutionally prohibit people from carrying guns in and around post offices, finding that such restrictions lack historical precedent. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor cited the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which established that gun regulations must be “consistent with this nation’s historical tradition” to be lawful. O’Connor noted that although post offices and mail carriers have faced threats since the nation’s founding, the federal government only banned firearms on postal property in the 1970s. “Even though Congress and the founders were aware of the ‘general societal problem’ of violence towards the postal service, the prohibition against firearms in post offices or on postal property did not appear until nearly 200 years after the founding,” he wrote. The ruling stems from a 2024 chall...

 Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert appear on each other’s shows to talk late-night competition Howard Jones, the ’80s British pop star, was readying a performance of “Things Can Only Get Better,” and celebrity chef Cristiano Petroni had spent the day preparing meatballs and polenta when Jimmy Kimmel learned two weeks ago that ABC planned to take his show off the air. Kimmel recounted the moment on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, saying it was just after 3 p.m. on September 17 when he received a call from ABC executives. “They say they want to talk to me. This is unusual. They didn’t even know I was doing a show previous to this,” he joked. In a bathroom meeting for privacy, Kimmel said the executives explained their concern about what he might say that night and informed him of their decision to pull the show. “I said, ‘I don’t think that’s a good idea.’ Then there was a vote, and I lost the vote,” he said. He later told his executive producers, including his wife Molly McNearne...

 Senate set to reconvene as government shutdown starts The Senate plans two more votes on Wednesday, giving lawmakers another opportunity to shift their positions on the funding dispute that triggered the first government shutdown in six years. Both Republican and Democratic leaders are expected to hold news briefings on Wednesday to address the shutdown, which began at midnight after separate proposals to keep the government running failed to secure enough support. Following a break on Thursday for Yom Kippur, Senate votes on funding are scheduled to continue Friday and through the weekend. Lawmakers on both sides have blamed each other for the shutdown. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York criticized the Republican plan, saying it fails to address the health care crisis and is “totally partisan.” Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming called Democratic short-term funding requests “ludicrous” and described the negotiations as a “shakedown.” The shutdown is already ...

 Madagascar protesters demand president's resignation in fifth day of rallies Hundreds of protesters across Madagascar demanded the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday, taking to the streets for a fifth day of demonstrations that have shaken the government, local television broadcasts showed. Spurred by the so-called youth-led "Gen Z" protests in Kenya and Nepal, the demonstrations have been the largest the Indian Ocean island has seen in years, and the most serious challenge Rajoelina has faced since his re-election in 2023, Reuters reported. The protests initially started in Antananarivo last week over nationwide water shortages and power blackouts but have since spread across the island, prompting Rajoelina to dissolve the government late on Monday. His move failed to assuage public anger. A message on the protest movement's Facebook page called for Rajoelina's resignation as well as the dissolution of the election commission, the senate and t...

 VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN KWANDE: PROPERTIES OF HRH SIMON BAVER SET ABLAZE 1st October, 2025   Turan youths on Wednesday set fire to the residence and office of the Mue Ter Ichongo, HRH Simon Baver, following the killing that occurred on Tuesday in Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State. Eyewitnesses reported that a large crowd of youths gathered at both locations before setting them ablaze. The assailants dispersed after destroying several items. Security personnel later moved to the scene to restore calm. There were no immediate reports of casualties within the affected properties. Authorities confirmed that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the Jato-Aka killing and the subsequent unrest were underway. Community leaders have appealed for calm and urged residents to allow security agencies to conduct their inquiries without further disruption. By Terver Philip

 PRESIDENT TINUBU APPOINTS THREE NEW HEADS OF AGENCIES President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of three (3) new Heads of Agencies.  They are as follows: National Biosafety Management Agency, Bello Bawa Bwari (Niger State) as the new Director-General for an initial term of four (4) years, effective from September 18, 2025 in accordance with the provision of Section 5 of the National Biosafety Management Agency, 2015. Hon. Barr. Aminu Junaidu (Zamfara State)  Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the Investment and Security Tribunal for a five-year term, effective September 18, 2025.   Olayiwola Nurudeen Awakan, Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation for an initial four-year term, effective September 2, 2025. A statement Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information & Public Relations Office of the Secretary To The  Government Of The Federation indicates that  the appointments underscore President Tinubu's commitmen...

 First Lady Celebrates Nigeria @65 Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has appealed to Nigerians to play their part in building a country they all want to see, with an assurance that their sacrifices will never be in vain. This is in her message marking the 65th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, captioned “All Hands On Deck For A Greater Nation”. Referencing the famous quote from the inaugural address of United States of America’s 35th President, John F Kennedy, the First Lady urges Nigerians to ask not what their country can do for them at this time, but rather see what they can do to build the nation. Also drawing from the 1925 essay “The New Frontier” by Gebran Kalil Gebran, the First Lady asks “Are you a politician, asking what your country can do for you or a zealous one, asking what you can do for your country? If you are the first, then you are a parasite, if the second, then you are an oasis in a desert”.  She congratulates Nigerians on the 65th anniversary celebra...

 U.S. Congratulates Nigeria on 65th Independence Anniversary.  The United States has extended heartfelt congratulations to Nigeria on the occasion of its 65th independence anniversary.  In a statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Nigeria’s enduring resilience and leadership over the past six decades. “Nigeria stands as a beacon of strength and determination,” Rubio said, highlighting the strong partnership between the two nations, built on shared democratic values, expanding economic ties, and a mutual commitment to promoting peace and security. Rubio celebrated Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and entrepreneurial spirit, expressing optimism about deepening bilateral collaboration in the years ahead.  “We look forward to working together to achieve our shared goals,” he added. The U.S. extended wishes for continued progress and prosperity for Nigeria and its people in the coming year.

 FG Resolves PENGASSAN & Dangote Dispute After a reconciliation meeting, the Federal Government has brokered peace in the industrial dispute between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) A statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, in the early hours of Wednesday states that, after a lengthy discussion, the matter was resolved as follows: that Unionization is the rights of the Nigerian workers and that the Management of Dangote Group shall immediately start the process of taking the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay. No worker will be victimized arising from their role in the impasse between Dangote and PENGASSAN. All Parties agreed to the demands. The government team at the meeting included the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Min...

 Nigeria at 65: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, Felicitates with Nigerians The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, has extended heartfelt congratulations to Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the occasion of the nation’s 65th Independence Anniversary. In his message, Ambassador Tuggar noted that Nigeria’s 65 years of nationhood reflect the courage, resilience, and unity of its people in overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities for progress. He emphasized that Nigeria has continued to make strides in consolidating democracy, fostering economic growth, and advancing its leadership role within Africa and the international community. The Minister highlighted that Nigeria’s foreign policy, anchored on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and guided by the 4Ds -Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora remains central to shaping a secure, prosperous, and globally respected nation...