Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Senate, yesterday, said the relative inexperience being exhibited by the Minister of Mines and Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, has created a cloudy future for the yet to be explored wealth of the ministry. The upper chamber of the legislature, which summoned Alake, to appear before its Committee on Solid Minerals next Wednesday, chided him for disregarding its invitation and threatened zero allocation in the 2024 budget. Alake is expected to brief the senate committee on the federal government’s work plan to develop the sector and block illegal mining. The committee made the resolution, during its meeting and expressed…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have cleared Nigerian singer, Dapo Oyebanjo, popularly known as D’banj, of fraud and rape allegations. The anti-graft agency and the police cleared D’banj of N-power fraud and rape allegations in different clearance reports upon completion of investigations. According to ThePunch, an affidavit deposed by Toheeb Lawal of an Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, before the District Court of Abuja shows that the Nigerian singer is free from any allegation. The newspaper said in the reports of the Nigeria Police Force Investigation and clearance from…

Everton have filed an appeal against their 10-point deduction by the Premier League, the club said on Friday. The Merseyside club were docked points with immediate effect last month after being found to have breached profitability and sustainability rules relating to losses. “Everton Football Club has today lodged with the Chair of the Premier League’s Judicial Panel its appeal of the decision by a Premier League Commission to impose a 10-point deduction on the club,” Everton said in a statement. “An Appeal Board will now be appointed to hear the case.” Earlier this month, the Premier League said Everton admitted that they had breached profitability and…

Crisis in the North-Western and South-Western regions of Cameroon has pushed it’s citizens to seek asylum in Taraba State. The refugees who are nearly 20,000 in number are presently camped in five various local government areas of the state, including Kurmi, Gashaka, Sardauna, Takum and Ussa. The refugees had appealed to the Taraba State and Federal Government to assist in alleviating their sufferings. Although worried about the security crisis rocking the state, the Taraba Governor, Agbu Kefas, has assured the refugees of their safety and protection pending the return of peace in their country. Represented by his Deputy in a…

In the wee hours of Friday, Unknown Gunmen attacked the residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made this known in a statement via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle. The electoral umpire also shared photos of burnt vehicles, stating that the gunmen engaged in a duel with security operatives which led to loss of properties during the attack and called for a thorough investigation into the incident. The statement reads, “In the early hours of today, Friday December 1 2023, around 3.30am, gunmen attacked the residence of our Resident…

An helicopter belonging to the Nigerian Air Force has crashed in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. It was learnt that the helicopter with the number NAF MI-35P crashed at exactly 7.45 am shortly after it took off for an operation against economic saboteurs in Rivers State. As of press time, the cause of the crash remains a mystery. NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, who confirmed the crash, said all those onboard survived with “minor injuries”. Gabkwet, an Air Commodore, explained that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, is on his way to the scene to assess the situation.…

No fewer than 11 officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) have been sacked over allegations bordering on extortion and bribery. Though, the identities and ranks of those dismissed were unknown as of press time, one among the 12 officials of the Authority who appeared before a disciplinary panel was exonerated from any wrongdoing. About 12 officials of the Authority were on Thursday, November 30, 2023, summoned before a disciplinary panel for various offences bordering on corrupt practices and absenteeism. Adebayo Taofiq, Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, who confirmed the dismissal on Friday, said the…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday, presented N703.03 billion budget proposal for the year 2024 to the state House of Assembly. The budget tagged ‘The Budget of Sustained Growth and Development,’ is N230.750 billion higher than the N472.250 billion budgeted for the 2023 fiscal year. Giving a breakdown of the budget, the governor noted that it is made up of N287.37 billion recurrent and N415.66 billion capital expenditures. Abiodun explained that N95.05 billion will be used for Personnel Costs, N27.35 billion for Consolidated Revenue while N59.09 billion will be used for Public Debt Charges. According to him, N105.88…

Ligue 1 strugglers Lyon have sacked Italian manager Fabio Grosso after just seven games in charge. Grosso, 46, leaves seven-time French champions Lyon bottom of the table after overseeing only one victory in his seven Ligue 1 matches. His dismissal comes less than 11 weeks after he replaced the sacked Laurent Blanc in September. Lyon, last crowned champions in 2007-08, confirmed Frenchman Pierre Sage will take charge on a temporary basis. “Olympique Lyonnais would like to thank Fabio Grosso and his assistants for their dedication and professionalism since taking over the professional team,” Lyon said. A 2-0 home defeat by Lille on…

Liverpool have reached the last 16 of the Europa League as group winners with victory over LASK at Anfield. Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo both struck in the space of three first-half minutes before Mohamed Salah’s penalty after the break and Gakpo’s second late on in a straightforward win. Toulouse’s failure to beat Union St-Gilloise ensures Liverpool cannot be caught at the top of Group E. The Reds go through to the knockouts and avoid February’s play-off round. Liverpool had total control inside 15 minutes following a quickfire double. First, Diaz sprayed a ball wide to Joe Gomez before running…

The Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, has said that at least N300 billion is needed yearly for highway repairs. The agency said it planned to explore other funding sources outside budgetary allocation. Managing Director, Emeka Agbasi, spoke during an interactive session with the House Committee on FERMA. He said the appropriations to the agency were inadequate. According to him, the 2023 allocation was far less than the required target, with less than 50 per cent of the total budget released so far. Agbasi, in a document submitted to the Committee, stated that aside from the 90 projects awarded by the…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday closed two medicine stores and a pharmacy in the Lagos neighborhoods of Idumota and Surulere for selling unregistered and controlled pharmaceuticals. Mr Afolabi Aderemi, Deputy Director at NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, stated that the operation was carried out in response to intelligence inputs concerning the stores. Aderemi said: “We are here today because we got a tip-off that controlled drugs are sold in these shops. “By the virtue of the International Convention, there are 71 drugs that ought not to be sold by individuals or pharmacies…