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 Two arrested for stealing bitter kola, others in Anambra Two suspected armed robbers have been arrested in Amichi community in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, for allegedly stealing bags of bitter kola. The suspects, identified as Onyenachiya and Chigbo were also said to have stolen telephone handsets, ATM cards, and money belonging to a yet-to-be-identified lady, who owned the bags of bitter kola. It was also alleged that suspects raped their victim in turns. This was corroborated in a video currently trending on social media showing how the suspects were being interrogated by some people, while their pump action gun and the stolen bags of bitter kola were displayed. The suspects allegedly confessed to the crime; while blaming their actions on the devil. When contacted on the development on Thursday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command was aware of the video. Ikenga said, “The command is aware of the video of two pe...

Naira falls to N1, 000/$ in official market Despite recent moves by the Central Bank of Nigeria to strengthen the foreign exchange market, the naira closed trading on the Investor & Exporter forex window on Thursday at N996.75/$. This is a 13.95 per cent decline from the N874.71/$ it closed trading on Wednesday. So far, the naira has lost 27.75 per cent of its value since opening the week at N780.23/$ according to details on FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange. Since firming up against the dollar last week, after news that the apex bank was clearing some of its backlog broke, the naira has been on a steady decline in both the official and parallel markets. So far, the naira has lost about 40 per cent of its value in 2023, earning the tag of one of the worst performing African currencies from the World Bank. In the parallel market, the currency has lost value too, falling from N950/$ as of Friday to close to N1,140/$ as of Thursday according to Bureaux De Change operators who spoke to The ...

24hrs To Polls: Igala Elders Call For Postponement; Women Protest In Bayelsa With about 24 hours to the Saturday off-season gubernatorial elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states, there is palpable tension and uncertainties across the three states with threats of violence and organised union’s activities feared to be capable of derailing the polls, Daily Trust reports. But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it is working with all stakeholders for a hitch free exercise. This is even as the Igala ethnic nationality group, Kogi East Elders Council (KEEC), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state and postpone the election. They made the call a few hours after the Inspector General of Police (IGP) stormed the state and launched an investigation into the killings recorded in the state earlier in the week. Similarly, many passengers were left stranded on Thursday after the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union ...

Villagers Pay Levies To Bandits Before Harvesting Crops In Kaduna Kaduna villagers are now being forced by bandits terrorising their communities to pay levies before being allowed to harvest crops from their farms in the state. The affected farmers were from Kidandan and Galadima villages, while those from Angular Fala’u and Kerawa villages were constantly harassed and kidnapped while working on their farms. A resident of Kidandan village, Malam Jamil Kidandan, said their people, who are mostly farmers, pay from N70,000 to N100,000 before they can harvest their farm produce. According to him, those who refuse to pay are either kidnapped, killed or have their farm produce seized by the bandits. 30 days after abduction, 5 infants die as 12 villagers remain in bandits’ den We’re engaging bandits strategically — Benue govt  “The bandits’ warlord and his boys stay by the side while a farmer goes to negotiate with him before gaining access to the farm,” he said. He lamented that the same...

Assault On Ajaero Regrettable – Uzodimma Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said the assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, is regrettable. Uzodimma stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, on Thursday. Ajaero was beaten after he was arrested in Imo while leading a protest for better salaries in the state. “I was not aware that the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was in my state. What I did was that to condemn the action. I have never had disagreement with the labour union.” “It has nothing to do with my government. Whether Joe Ajaero is the president of NLC or not, I will not wish this to happen to any human being. Of course I have to apologize because it happened in my state. ‘I am a Christian and believe in God. I can’t support violence. I can never support violence. Whatever happened to Joe Ajaero in my state which I am not aware of that led to him being assaulted must be regretted by both my go...

Nigeria’s major problem is docile citizens – Pat Utomi Renowned political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, has lamented that the major problem of the country is the docility of its citizens, insisting that many Nigerians are just at home with anything ditched at them. He called on Nigerians to be dynamic and work on new approaches to hold government accountable, especially on their safety and general wellbeing. Utomi made the call on Thursday in Abuja at a National conversation on building a new value system in Nigeria, with the theme, ‘A Public Sphere Conscious Movement –A Necessary Starting Point for the Journey to Redemption’. He decried that the main problem with Nigeria is that the people are docile and not demanding accountability from the leaders and rather chose to accept a ‘ko mean’ ,that is just take it like that and manage. He noted that: “But this is not working. We are creating poverty every day and I think this is a moral burden. Look at what the Zambian President is doing. So...

Emotional moment Bethel Baptist School pupil reunited with his great-grandmother after 800 days in captivity Treasure Ayuba, a pupil of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, who regained freedom after over two years in captivity, has reunited with his great-grandmother. Treasure and 121 students were kidnapped when bandits attacked the school on July 5, 2021.  The bandits released the pupils in batches. Treasure is the last of the victims to be released on November 2, 2023.   The boy's grandmother, Mary Peter, on Thursday, November 9, shared photos from the emotional reunion of Treasure and his great-grandmother.  "What a new chapter in my life and my family, How amazing is this God, my mother was so happy to see her great grand child. Treasure Ayuba, the last boy from bethel Baptist school Kaduna after the kidnapped, thank u Jesus. You have done it again," she wrote. More photos below.