Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

President Muhammadu Buhari has seized the occasion of the 66th birthday of Nigerian industrialist, Aliko Dangote to pour encomiums on him. Buhari in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, on Monday congratulated Dangote, describing him as a rare philanthropist who must be commended for the numerous efforts he is making for Nigeria’s progress. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the illustrious businessman Aliko Dangote on his birthday. He has given new heights to Nigeria’s prestige and global reputation. May the Almighty give him the strength and wisdom to do even more for the nation,” the President stated.

The Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Zamfara, Alhaji Muhammadu Rini, said digitalising the 2023 population and housing census would ensure transparency and accountability in the exercise. Rini, who stated this while speaking with newsmen in Gusau on Monday, noted that the digital census would ensure accurate and credible data. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state NPC office on Sunday trained 75 Jumu’at Mosque Imams on sensitisation and enlightenment for the 2023 population and housing census. “You know, in the previous census, we used paper and pen. “But the digital census would generate the actual…

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on an official visit on Tuesday. The two-day visit, from April 11 to 19, his last trip to the kingdom as President. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Monday, explained that during the visit, the President will perform Umrah, the Lesser Pilgrimage. According to the terse statement, President Buhari will be accompanied by his aides.

Victor Osimhen didn’t train with his Napoli teammates on Monday (today) ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg clash against AC Milan. Osimhen is still recuperating from a muscle injury. The Nigerian suffered a tear in his adductor muscle while on international duty with the three-time African champions last month. The prolific striker has missed the Partenopei’s last two games against AC Milan and Leece. Napoli were hoping that their talismanic hitman would be fit to face AC Milan at the San Siro on Wednesday but have yet to see the results they were looking for in training today.…

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has revealed what would happen to public officers who refuse to declare their assets as directed by the Constitution. The CCB said it is the responsibility of public officers to collect, fill and return asset declaration forms to the agency.The bureau on its website revealed that erring public officers might forfeit undeclared properties as well as face removal from their office if they fail to declare their assets. It would be recalled that this online news platform reported last week that President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, and the 44 ministers in the Federal Executive…

The government of the United Kingdom has placed Nigeria on its red list of countries not to be targeted for International Recruitment by health and social care employers. The UK said the development is coming as the World Health Organisation, WHO, last month listed 54 countries, including Nigeria, as facing the most pressing health workforce challenges related to Primary and Universal Health Coverage. The implication is that The United Kingdom Government would accept Nigeria and other countries on the red list for Health and social care jobs only based on government-to-government agreements. The information was contained in the UK Government’s…

A book about Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will be launched on April 28. The book, titled ‘Osinbajo Strides: Defining Moments of An Innovative Leader’, was authored by 25 journalists and writers According to a statement signed by Richard Akinnola, one of the authors, he said the book is all about the vice-president’s public service since he was special adviser to the attorney-general of the federation in 1988 to date. “A blurb would be made available ahead of the public presentation. Proceeds from the sales of the book will go to charity organisations,” he said. “The launch event is organised by PYO Collective,…

The St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo state, reopened on Easter Sunday — ten months after it was shut down over a deadly attack. In June 2022, gunmen attacked the church with 40 people confirmed dead after the incident. The victims were given a mass burial on June 17, and on August 9. Ten months after the attack, worshippers trooped to the church on Sunday for the Easter celebration — including those who sustained injuries or became paralysed from the incident. During the service, Jude Arogundade, bishop of Ondo diocese, called on the federal government to take seriously their responsibility of protecting lives and…

Former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Professor Onje Gye-Wado has been released four days after his abduction. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ramham Nansel, confirmed this to reporters on Monday morning. Gunmen kidnapped Gye-Wado in Rinza village, Wamba Local Government Area of the state on Thursday. Earlier, his adductors reportedly demanded N70 million for his release. The Police did not confirm whether the ransom was paid, but sources said his family members paid about N4 million to secure his freedom.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has prayed the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC) in Abuja to dismiss petitions filed by three opposition parties challenging the victory of its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, in the February 25 election. The APC called on the tribunal to discountenance the petitions in three separate responses filed at PEPC’s Secretariat, Sunday night by Thomas Ojo, a member of the party’s legal team led by Lateef Fagbemi, in Abuja. NAN reports that the three political parties: Action People’s Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM), had, in separate petitions, challenged the emergence of…

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has reviewed its timetable for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. The board said following the development, the UTME earlier scheduled to begin on April 29, 2023, had been brought forward to April 25, 2023. Similarly, JAMB said in a statement yesterday that its rescheduled Mock UTME would hold on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.It also announced that the result of the candidates who successfully took the mock examination on March 30, 2023, had been released. The statement signed by the spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, read: “It would be recalled that the Joint Admissions and…

Roberto Firmino scored a dramatic late equaliser as Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to six points in an incident-packed encounter with Liverpool at Anfield. The Gunners were in cruise control with a two-goal lead inside the first half-hour as they went in search for their first win at Liverpool since 2012, but were left bitterly disappointed as they paid the price for losing their discipline at a crucial time. Gabriel Martinelli pounced on sloppy Liverpool defending to put Arsenal ahead after eight minutes then Gabriel Jesus rose unmarked between Virgil van Dijk and Andy…