Author: Alade Adisa

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has announced that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is being constructed with safety and economic benefits in mind, noting that the first 20 kilometers will be set for commissioning by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025. Confirming that the contractor is on course to complete the initial phase by the deadline, the minister told journalists on Saturday that the 10-lane road, comprising six major and four service lanes, will include 24-hour lighting, security posts, medical facilities, and other infrastructure to enhance its economic value. Umahi added that the Federal Government is acquiring land along…

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has auctioned about 20,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, at N630 per litre in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The Service seized the product from smugglers, and sold them to the public at Afoo Filling Station, Masfala area of the ancient city on Saturday. Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, who flagged off the sale, revealed that the tanker carrying the petrol was seized alongside 30 kegs containing 25 litres each during a smuggling attempt. The Comptroller said the total duty-paid value of the seized 30,750 liters…

United States President-elect, Donald Trump transfered about $4 billion worth of shares in his media company to a trust that is controlled by his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. Shares of Trump Media and Technology Group slid in midday trading Friday after the president-elect transferred all of his shares into a revocable trust, according to a regulatory filing. Trump transferred all of his nearly 115 million shares — worth around $4 billion on paper — in the parent company of social networking site Truth Social as a “bona fide gift” to the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, the Securities and…

In a show of solidarity, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, yesterday called on Nigerians to support the President Bola Tinubu -led administration,echoing that he was a caring President Kalu, the former governor of Abia State who also represents Abia North in Senate, made the plea in a Facebook post yesterday after his visit to Tinubu’s residence in Lagos. Kalu wrote: “I had to pay my friend and brother of the class of 1999 Governors, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, a friendly private visit to commend his courageous strides in sailing the course of the nation and also give him the benefit…

General Godwin Abbe, a former Minister of Defence and Interior during the administration of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, has died at the age of 74. The retired Major General passed away on Saturday in Abuja after a prolonged illness. Abbe, who was born on January 10, 1949, was set to celebrate his 75th birthday in 2025. A distinguished military officer and politician, he served as the military governor of Akwa Ibom State (1988–1990) and Rivers State (1990–1992). An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, where he earned a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations, Abbe also trained at prestigious institutions…

The wife of the president, Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Saturday donated 22,800 bags of rice as a form of palliatives to vulnerable Christians in the North ahead of Christmas celebration. The First Lady also provided N5 million for each of the 19 states for ease of transportation of the items.. With the way it is, each of the states will get 1,200 bags of rice. The First Lady made the donations at an event attended by Governors Dikko Radda (Katsina); Hyacinth Alia (Benue); Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and the host Uba Sani (Kaduna) in Kaduna. Commending the Northern Christian Political…

Tyson Fury fell to Oleksandr Usyk yet again, losing his heavyweight boxing rematch Saturday by unanimous decision after suffering a split-decision defeat in their first fight seven months ago. Usyk again demonstrated his superior technical skill and responded each time Fury went on the attack in their 12-round heavyweight fight at the Kingdom. All three judges scored it 116-112 for Usyk, who retained his WBC, WBA and WBO world heavyweight titles. Usyk had no interest in discussing the judges’ scorecards. “I win,’’ he said. “Is good.’’ Usyk, a 37-year-old Ukrainian, improved his record to 23-0. Fury, a 36-year-old Brit, dropped…

Foremost entrepreneur and President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote has commended President Bola Tinubu for the positive impact of the naira for crude swap deal on the Nigerian economy, which has led to reduction in prices of petroleum products in the country. In his statement on his X platform on Saturday, the business magnate wrote, ”To provide succour to Nigerians, Dangote recently reduced the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N970 to N899.50 at its refinery loading gantry and provided generous credit terms to marketers. “To ensure that this price reduction gets to the end consumer, we…

A journalists’ association says two journalists working for Kurdish media outlets were killed in northern Syria while covering fighting between Turkish-backed fighters and Syrian Kurdish militia. The Turkey-based Dicle-Firat Journalists Association said Friday that Nazim Dastan and Cihan Bilgin were killed Thursday when their vehicle was reportedly targeted by a Turkish drone on a road near the Tishrin Dam. Tishrin Dam, located some 56 miles east of Aleppo, has been the scene of clashes between the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF, and the Turkey-backed opposition forces. There was no immediate comment from Turkish officials. Bianet, a news website dedicated to…

Thirty-eight people are confirmed dead, and over 100 remain missing in Congo after an overloaded ferry full of people returning home for Christmas capsized in the river Burisa late Friday night, according to local officials and eyewitnesses. Twenty people are confirmed to have been rescued so far. The boat was traveling in the northeast of the Congo as part of a convoy of other vessels, and the passengers were primarily merchants returning home for Christmas, said Joseph Kangolingoli, the mayor of Ingende, the last town before the site of the accident. The capsizing occurred less than four days after another…