Author: Damilola Olufemi

Yakubu Mohammed, one of the co-founders of Newswatch, has spoken publicly for the first time on the decades-old rumours linking Dele Giwa’s assassination to Gloria Okon, the alleged drug courier who reportedly died in police custody. Giwa, the editor-in-chief of Newswatch, was killed by a parcel bomb on October 19, 1986. Not long after, speculation spread that his death was tied to Okon, who was rumoured to be a drug mule for the powerful. Some said she died mysteriously in custody to protect the military president, Ibrahim Babangida, and his wife, while another version claimed she was secretly flown to…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio returned to Abuja early Monday after what his media team described as a brief holiday in London.

The withdrawal of criminal charges against Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of assaulting Ibom Air crew, has stirred widespread discussion among Nigerians. The incident took place at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, after the flight’s arrival from Uyo. Reports indicate that the passenger was instructed to switch off her phone while on board but allegedly refused. She was captured on video physically assaulting airline staff and was subsequently forced off the plane by the crew. She was later detained at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre. The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) also imposed an indefinite travel ban on Ms. Emmanson, barring her…

Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa said the decision, approved at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, aims to “channel resources into upgrading facilities, hiring qualified staff, and expanding the carrying capacity of existing institutions.”

An Ikeja Magistrate Court in Ogba, Lagos, on Wednesday discharged Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of unruly behaviour and assault on an Ibom Air flight. Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami freed Emmanson after the police withdrew the five-count charge against her. Keyamo orders Ibom Air to drop charges against Emmanson The development followed an announcement by Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), ordered Ibom Air to withdraw criminal charges against Emmanson, who was alleged to have refused to comply with safety instructions on switching off her phone, assaulted crew members, and even tried to use a fire extinguisher as…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered Ibom Air to withdraw criminal charges against Comfort Emmanson, the passenger alleged to have refused to comply with safety instructions on switching off her phone, assaulted crew members, and even tried to use a fire extinguisher as a weapon, on Sunday, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos. Keyamo made this on Wednesday in a post via his X handle, ordering the case against Emmanson be withdrawn today. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has imposed a lifetime flying ban on Emmanson, who board Ibom Air flight Q9 303,…

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has pledged an impartial review of the altercation between an Ibom Air passenger and the airline’s crew but cautioned that unruly behaviour in aviation will be handled strictly within the law. “No matter the provocation, rest assured that you can always file your complaints with the NCAA, and it will be dealt with. Self-help is not permissible in aviation anywhere,” said Mike Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, on Channels Television’s Morning Brief “On our part, we will ensure to see the end of it and that there is fairness on…

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, says the yardsticks for selecting presidential candidates in 2027 will differ from those used during the 2023 elections. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Lawal, who backed Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi in the last poll, said: “they say a day in politics is long. Things have changed. The parameters we used to evaluate our candidate in 2023 are going to be different this time. Things have moved on, so we’ll see when we get there. We’ll see how it goes.” The ex-SGF maintained that Obi…

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has ordered disciplinary action against any Ibom Air employee responsible for leaking a video that revealed the indecent exposure of a female passenger involved in an onboard altercation. In a statement on Monday, Keyamo said that while recording the incident for legal purposes was justified, making footage containing indecent exposure public was “totally unacceptable.” “We also note the scuffle that took place between the unruly passenger and ground personnel before she was eventually subdued. This was because of her uncooperative attitude,” the minister said. “Whilst we support the filming of her…

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has imposed a lifetime flying ban on Comfort Emmanson, a passenger aboard Ibom Air flight Q9 303, over what it called “one of the most severe cases of unruly behaviour witnessed this year.”