Author: Alade Adisa

The Federal Government has said it would continue to push for membership of international bodies to advance its economy, adding that the country reserved the right to align with any country it deems fit. This comes on the backdrop of the recent threat by the President-elect of the United States of America, Donald Trump, to sanction countries that embraced BRICS. BRICS, originally an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, and China, expanded in 2010 to include South Africa. Nigeria emerged as a partner country of BRICS in October, a move towards becoming a full member in the next two years. The…

The South African Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Border Management Authority have launched new border drones, tech and ‘deportation buses’ to combat an expected surge in illegal border crossings over the festive period. This marks the first time these have been used in tackling the country’s porous borders and marks the start of what DHA Minister Leon Schreiber calls a “dramatic” expansion of tech-driven solutions. “Our commitment to digital transformation and embracing technology is absolute,” Schreiber said at the launch. The first set of drones will specifically be deployed to five ports of entry throughout the festive period,…

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Friday nullified a judgment by the Federal High Court seeking to seize Rivers State’s statutory allocation / revenue from federation purse. The appellate court in a judgement delivered by Justice Hamma Barka said the High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, and that mere listing of federal agencies does not confer unrestricted jurisdiction on the Federal High Court. Justice Barka in his verdict ruled that the subject matter which is the appropriation issue of a state should not have been entertained. The Court upheld the submissions of Counsel to the…

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday gave an insight into why former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, was nominated into the Federal Executive Council by President Bola Tinubu. He said this at a book launch to mark the 57th birthday of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Senator Akpabio described the celebrant as a workaholic public officer and someone who gives his best in any office he finds himself, saying: “Let me tell you why you were nominated into the FEC by President Tinubu despite being an opposition politician. “Your…

Bashar Assad told almost no one about his intention to flee Syria when he realized his regime was collapsing. He hid his escape from his aides, associates, and even his family. Hours before he fled to Moscow, the president promised, at a meeting at the Defense Ministry attended by about 30 senior military and security officials, that Russian aid was on the way – and called on the forces on the ground to hold out.On Saturday, when he finished work, Assad told his office manager that he was going home – but instead, he went to the airport. He also…

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has announced a Christmas bonus of 150,000 for each civil servant in the state. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Monday Uzor, made this known in a Facebook post on Thursday night. According to the post, the state workers would receive the bonus before 1 pm on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. “Every worker in Ebonyi State Civil Service will receive ₦150,000 as a Christmas bonus before 1 pm on Tuesday… Gov. Rt. Hon. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru,” the post read.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) exploded and killed two suspected terrorists in Barikin Daji village of Talata Marafa Local Government while testing the devices in an established camp of extremists leader, Bello Turji, in Zamfara State, Northwest of Nigeria. According to Zagazola, a security analyst and counterinsurgency expert in Lake Chad, the incident occurred in Barikin Daji Village and Dan Bagudu Hills, both located in Talata Mafara Local Government Area. “The explosion is said to have resulted from an IED mishap during a high-risk testing exercise conducted by the bandits under the supervision of a key lieutenant of Turji, identified as…

Irked by it called lawlessness,the Federal Government has given a one-month deadline to developers along the Lagos shoreline to regularise their operations or face revocation and demolition. This order is contained in a statement issued yesterday by Mr Salisu Haiba, Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in Abuja. The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, issued the warning following an inspection visit to the Lagos Lagoon Estates and shoreline front. According to the minister, developments along the Lagos shoreline must comply with existing laws and regulations to ensure orderliness. He added that…

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, disclosed on Friday that his call urging Nigerians to pray for divine intervention against efforts by powerful cabals working to hinder the success of private refineries in Nigeria earned him the wrath of some individuals in the country. Adeboye said this during the ongoing annual Holy Ghost Congress themed ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ at the Redemption City, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. While the cleric did not directly name those involved, he referenced a statement he made weeks ago during the church’s annual Abuja Special Holy Ghost…

The Ondo State 2024 Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has received five petitions challenging the declaration of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the November election. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, on November 17, declared Aiyedatiwa the winner of the election, having polled a total of 366,781 to defeat his closest rival, Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 117,846 votes. APC and its candidate won in all 18 local government areas of the state. Other respondents in the petitions are: APC, Aiyedatiwa and his running mate, Mr Olayide Adelami.…