Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has assured that international flights will soon take off and land in the Margaret Ekpo International airport, Calabar. He said his administration will partner the management of the airport to ensure that it is well patronized by many local and international flights. Otu spoke when the airport manager, Mr. Ayinla Gbolahan, visited him in Calabar, on Thursday. Otu said, “There was a time the Calabar Airport used to fly international routes, at least to nearby Malabo, capital of Equitorial Guinea, and other neighboring countries, but the reverse is now the case. That situation…

Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State has set up a committee on payment of ₦30,000 minimum wage to primary school teachers in the state. Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Enugu State wing, Chief Theophilus Odo, made the disclosure on Thursday in Enugu during the 2023 World Teachers’ Day celebration. Odo, who said that he was a member of the committee, thanked the governor for the gesture. Speaking on the theme for this year’s Day: “The teachers we need for the education we want: The global imperative to reverse the teacher shortage,” he stressed the need for the re-ordering of a new…

England manager Gareth Southgate has recalled Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins for October’s games against Australia and Italy at Wembley. Watkins, who last featured for England in March 2022, continued his impressive start to the season with a hat-trick against Brighton on Saturday. Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling is left out of a fourth successive squad. England play Australia in a friendly on 13 October and Italy in a Euro 2024 qualifier on 17 October. Watkins, 27, said he did not think he could “do any more” to earn a recall after taking his tally to seven goals and three assists…

The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has warned that the parcel of land in contention between Orolu and Irepodun local government has been seized by the state government. The visibly annoyed governor also added that he has obtained the cooperation of the Chief Of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, to deploy military personnel to maintain law and order in both communities. Adeleke made this known at the first edition of the Ipade Imole, a public accountability platform held in Osogbo on Thursday. “I am not happy today. These clashes would chase away investors. “As a government, we have seized…

The Senate on Thursday resolved to summon all the security chiefs over the rising abduction of university students in different parts of the country. This followed a motion by Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua (Katsina Central) during plenary, who drew the attention of his colleagues to the kidnapping of five female students of the Federal University in Dutsinma (FUDMA), Katsina in the early hours of Wednesday. The attack happened 12 days after bandits, in large numbers, forced their way into three hostels of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State and abducted 24 students. Sixteen of them were successfully freed 3 days…

The Nigerian national basketball team, D’Tigers defeated Team USA 75-70 in their opening match at the ongoing international competition in China. The D’Tigers departed the nation on Monday for China where they will play a series of games beginning this week and lasting until October 20. Recall that the national team was unable to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics during the qualification rounds held in Lagos in August of last year. Hence, their participation in the tournament in China is seen as one of the developmental programs run by the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, which is headed by…

The Supreme Court has fixed December 15 for judgment on the appeal seeking to compel the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) from detention. The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja had in October 2022 ordered the Federal Government to release Kanu, but the FG, dissatisfied with the judgment, headed to the Supreme Court. But during its proceedings on Thursday, October 5, 2023, a five-member panel of the apex court headed by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, fixed December 15 for ruling on the matter. During the proceedings, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, counsel for Kanu, had…

Owodunni Ibrahim popularly, aka, Primeboy, who was declared wanted over the death of Oladimeji Aloba, also known as Mohbad, has surrendered to the police. The Lagos State Police Command had declared him wanted and placed a N1 million bounty on him. According to Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesman of the Lagos police command, the actions were taken after Primeboy, who was MohBad’s childhood friend, failed to honour invitation sent to him over the singer’s death. There were unconfirmed reports that Primeboy hit the deceased with a fetish object during a face-off between the duo. In an update on Thursday afternoon, Hundeyin said,…

World football-governing body, FIFA has appointed Portuguese official Luis Godinho as referee for the international friendly match between three-time African champions Nigeria and Asian giants Saudi Arabia, coming up at the Estadio Municipal de Portimão next week Friday. Godinho will be assisted by compatriots Bruno Jesus (assistant referee 1), Tiago Costa (assistant referee 2) and Miguel Noguera (fourth official) at the match kicking off by 5pm Portugal time (same time as in Nigeria). Also appointed are Helder Carvalho to head the situation in the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room, to be assisted by Bruno Vieira. It is the second-ever clash…

The abducted Benue State Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mathew Abo, has regained freedom after spending 10 days in captivity. Abo was abducted at his hometown in Zaki-Biam of Ukum Local Government Area of the state on Sunday, September 24, 2023. Family sources disclosed that his abductors released him in the early hours of (Thursday) and he has already reunited with his family. The sources however did not state whether the N60 million or any money demanded as ransom was paid for the commissioner freedom. But he was said to have returned in good health A former media aide…

The UK and Republic of Ireland will now bid unopposed for Euro 2028 after Turkey withdrew to focus on a joint bid with Italy for Euro 2032. Turkey agreed to merge their Euro 2032 bid with Italy in July and that has now been approved by governing body Uefa. While Italy had only bid for the 2032 tournament, Turkey had bid to host both Euro 2028 and 2032. Both bids still need official approval by Uefa at a meeting of its executive committee on Tuesday. “These are exciting times and we have a very compelling Euro 2028 proposal for Uefa,” read…

The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, expressed commitment to secure proper compensation and royalties for the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, from his musical works. Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Olumide Osoba, representing the Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency of Ogun State, stated this during an interactive session on the rights and royalties of the 27-year old rapper. Recall that Mohbad passed on September 12, 2023, and was buried the next day. The singer’s corpse was exhumed on September 21 by the Lagos Police for autopsy due to circumstances surrounding the death. Speaking during the interactive…