Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has revealed that the ongoing quick-fix project at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited, KRPC, will be back on stream by the end of 2024. The Minister disclosed this during an inspection tour of Kaduna Refinery & Petrochemicals while assessing the progress of work on the ongoing quick-fix project of the Refinery in Kaduna on Saturday. Lokpobiri said he is confident that the refinery will be restreamed by the end of 2024, considering the “significant level of progress” he has witnessed on the tour. The Minister, who…

Eddie Nketiah scored a hat-trick as Arsenal breezed past bottom club Sheffield United 5-0. The Gunners saw plenty of the ball from the outset and broke through on 28 minutes when Nketiah expertly collected a cross from behind his body, then slotted home. Nketiah doubled the advantage five minutes into the second half, slamming in from close range, then blasted a 25-yard shot into the top corner to complete his hat-trick in style. Fabio Vieira scored a late penalty, having won the spot kick himself, before Takehiro Tomiyasu netted from a stoppage time corner to complete the rout. The resounding…

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, are on a project inspection visit to the Kaduna refinery. The duo arrived at the facility earlier in the day to inspect work progress on the ongoing quick-fix project at the refinery. Aside from the project inspection, Lokpobiri and the Kyari are also in Kaduna for the 14th Refineries Rehabilitation Steering Committee meeting, this platform learned. The refinery project is linked with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to the Ministry of Petroleum and NNPCL to fix the nation’s moribund refineries…

Nigerian sprinter, Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha has been banned for three years for doping, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) announced on Friday, October 27. Nwokocha who won gold in the 4x100m relay at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, tested positive for Ostarine and Ligandrol in a sample collected on 3 August 2022. She has reportedly admitted to the doping violation and accepted the sanction of a three-year ban. She has also been stripped of her gold medal from the Commonwealth Games. The statement by the AIU reads: “The AIU, the Athlete and the World Anti-Doping Agency (“the Parties”) subsequently entered into a Case…

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s led government of Lagos State has reopened Alaba International Market and some markets at the Trade Fair Complex, Ojo. The Lagos State Government had earlier shut down the markets over poor waste disposal, failure to pay waste bills, and other environmental violations. In a statement, however, on Saturday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, stated that the decision to reopen the markets was made after a thorough evaluation and implementation of strict environmental standards. He further clarified that the markets were reopened only after the environmental concerns had been resolved, dismissing any suggestions of political motives behind…

Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, is currently on a tour of the Third Mainland Bridge and other bridges in Lagos State. Umahi embarked on the tour with officials of the Ministry led by the Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha. The first port of call for the Minister was the Third Mainland Bridge which he inspected by ferry from the under water. Other federal bridges inspected in Lagos are Carter Bridge, Onikan/Bonny Camp, among others. The inspection is still ongoing as of the time of filing this report. It was meant to check the status…

Bryan Mbeumo and Ethan Pinnock were on target as Brentford won 2-0 at Chelsea to triumph at Stamford Bridge for a historic third season in a row and end the Blues’ recent revival. Mauricio Pochettino’s home side had dominated the first 45 and carved out a series of good openings, but could not find the breakthrough with Noni Madueke going closest with a shot that came back off the frame of the goal. Brentford defended for their lives at times but offered more of a threat following the interval with Vitaly Janelt firing straight at Robert Sanchez from 15 yards…

Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali has begun his 10-month ban from football after Fifa extended the ban worldwide. The 23-year-old was banned by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) on Thursday for breaching betting rules. The FIGC said Tonali will also participate in “a therapeutic plan” to help “recovery from gambling addiction”. A Newcastle statement said the Italy international will be able to return to competitive football on 7 August 2024. Newcastle manager boss Eddie Howe said on Friday morning that Tonali was in contention to play against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday as the club had not received confirmation of…

EFCC resumes trial of Former Governor of Ekiti State, Fayose and his firm Spotless Investment Limited are being prosecuted for allegedly laundering N6.9 billion. A former operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr Abubakar  Madaki has told a Federal High Court in Lagos how a former minister of state for defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, handed over the sum of N1,219,000,000 in cash to former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose. Obanikoro had earlier narrated before the Court how N1.2 billion was allegedly taken to former Gov Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, using an aircraft. In continuation of his evidence on Friday,…

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackle tobacco use by children in Nigeria. The Minister of Youth and Development, Dr. Jamila Ibrahim, said this on Friday when she received the Regional Director, Tobacco Control Programme  Campaign for Tobacco–Free Kids, Ms. Bintou Camara, in her office in Abuja. Ibrahim said that tobacco smoking among children was a big challenge facing the country. The minister said Nigeria needs to partner and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to educate Nigerians to understand the health implications of tobacco smoking among young people. “We will focus on adolescent health. It is the area we…

Real Madrid travel to the unfamiliar confines of Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys to take on familiar foes in Saturday afternoon’s El Clásico, with the top spot in La Liga on the line. Barcelona sit one point behind Real Madrid in Spain’s top flight and are unbeaten in 10 games this season with seven wins and three draws. Madrid have lost just once, winning eight and drawing the other. Saturday’s game will be the first ever La Liga Clásico at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, where Barça are playing their home games while Camp Nou is refurbished. As such, it’ll become the third…

The federal government has flagged off the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative PCNGI, with seven conversion centres across Nigeria. The Chief Of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila, officially flagged off the initiative yesterday at the State House, Abuja. In a symbolic handover of the CNG buses to the State House, the Chairman of the Presidential CNG Initiative Steering Committee, Zacch Adedeji, who was represented by the Chief Executive Officer of the Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Mr Farouk Ahmed, announced that the government had waived the Value Added Tax on the CNG buses purchase as well as…