Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced tracking of 82 constituency projects valued at ₦8 billion in Imo. Victor Onakpoberuo, the Team Lead of the ICPC’s projects monitoring team, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Owerri on Wednesday. The exercise is part of the tracking of 1,932 constituency projects valued at ₦500 billion across 26 states of the federation, as announced by the ICPC’s Spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, on Wednesday. Onakpoberuo, Principal Superintendent of the commission said the exercise was the 6th phase of its Constituency and Executive Project Tracking Initiative (CEPTI). According to him, this is…

The Senate has confirmed President Bola Tinubu’s nominee, Ola Olukoyede, as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Olukoyede and Muhammad Hammajoda, whom President Tinubu appointed as Secretary of the anti-graft agency, arrived at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday morning for their respective screening and confirmation proceeding. Recall President Tinubu on October 12, 2023, gave an appointment to the duo, seeking the Senate confirmation. Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, had explained in a statement earlier that Olukoyede’s appointment is for a renewable term of four years in the first instance. He also said the President appointed Hammajoda to serve…

The Lagos State Government says it will close down bars, churches, clubs, mosques and companies causing environmental nuisance in the state. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Tuesday in Lagos. Wahab spoke at a management meeting with Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, the newly appointed General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and directors in the agency. He urged the management team of LASEPA to review its operations strategies in line with international best practices. “I charged them to review their operations strategies following accepted international best practices. “I have also directed the zonal directors,…

Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is facing a lengthy ban from football after placing bets on AC Milan matches during his time at the club. Italian football has been rocked by a betting scandal that involves Tonali, Aston Villa’s Nicolo Zaniolo, Juventus’ Nicolo Fagioli and other as yet unnamed footballers. Fagioli has already been handed a seven-month ban after admitting to betting offences – his punishment a reduction from the three-year ban he could have received had he not fully co-operated with the investigation conducted by Turin-based prosecutors. Tonali and Zaniolo were sent home from Italy’s national team camp last Thursday after…

Algeria defender Youcef Atal has been suspended by Nice after allegedly posting an antisemitic video on social media that related to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Atal, 27, has now deleted the Instagram post and apologised. The Nice public prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into Atal on charges “of defending terrorism”. Nice said they had suspended Atal “until further notice”. “The player has acknowledged his error by quickly withdrawing the sharing of the publication and has offered a public apology in writing,” Nice said in a statement. “Nevertheless, given the nature of the publication shared, and its seriousness, the club…

Elon Musk has kicked off his plan to charge users of X, formerly known as Twitter, to post content to the social network. X said in a post on its website that it has started testing “Not A Bot,” a new subscription tier for new users. However, new users in the Philippines and New Zealand are the first to be asked for an annual payment in the latest change to the platform. The “Not a Bot” subscription plan will cost $1 annually, according to X (adding that prices vary by country and currency). New users on X on the plan…

The Senate, on Wednesday, appointed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator representing Kwara South, Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, as the new Deputy Leader of the Red Chamber. The Upper Legislature also appointed the Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Nwebonyi Peter Onyeka, as the new Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate. Senator Onyeka is a member of the ruling APC. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the new appointments during Wednesday’s plenary on the floor of the Senate. Ashiru, who was the former Deputy Chief Whip, was elevated to the position of Deputy Senate Leader, which became vacant following the appointment of…

No fewer than 178,864 pre-paid meters were installed in the Q2 of 2023, representing an increase of 3,586 against the 175,281 installed in Q1 of the same year. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) made this known in its Q2, 2023 report pasted on its website on Wednesday. The commission said a total of 168,397 meters were installed under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) framework while 9,302 meters were installed under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) framework. It said that the vendor and Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) financed framework recorded 1,143 and 22 meter installations respectively. ”The commission expects…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has approved single dose of Gardasil vaccine in the treatment of cervical cancer in the country. Consequently, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, is to commence the introduction of the off-label use of quadrivalent Gardasil vaccine as a single dose schedule into the routine immunization. NPHCDA is expected to do this in the last quarter of 2023. Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who disclosed this at a joint press conference with NPHCDA in Abuja yesterday, said there was an urgent need for effective and sustainable…

The Labour Party, LP, has made known its displeasure towards the idea of the House of Representatives to purchase luxurious SUVs for all Lawmakers in the lower chamber. The party through its National Chairman, Julius Abure accused the Presidency of being insensitive to plight of Nigerians. Abure said it is a saddening news that the Federal Government had decided to enrich the pockets of Few individuals who found themselves in public offices, while insisting that it cannot afford to review upward the National minimum wage for workers. He wondered why the Federal Government would not boost the economy by patronizing…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned the attack on Al Ahli Arab Hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip. WHO said in a statement released on Tuesday that the attack reported large scale casualties. “The hospital was operational, with patients, health and care givers, and internally displaced people sheltering there. “Early reports indicate hundreds of fatalities and injuries,” it said. According to the statement, the hospital is one of 20 in the north of the Gaza Strip facing evacuation orders from the Israeli military. It said that the order for evacuation had been impossible to carry out given…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued a two-week deadline for governors to commence negotiations on the N35,000 wage award for workers in their states. The organised labour unions are making the demands in line with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Federal government. State chapters of NLC and TUC on Tuesday disclosed that they have written to governors to fast-track the necessary protocols and implement the award meant to assuage the subsidy removal pains. According to the unions, the deadline for payment of the wage award would expire in the next…