Author: Olaoluwa Vincent Ajayi

Ekiti State Government has issued a strong directive to local government chairmen, urging them to take immediate and decisive action to bolster security in their respective areas. The call for heightened security measures comes after several kidnapping incidents, including a deadly attack earlier this month. Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (retd), Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters and Chairman of the State Security and Intelligence Committee, made the appeal during the committee’s third quarterly meeting on Wednesday. Ogundana described the kidnapping wave as “unfortunate and unacceptable,” urging local leaders to take responsibility for safeguarding their communities. “You have rightly…

In a surprising revelation, popular Nigerian rapper and activist, Folarin Falana, known professionally as Falz, has admitted to having contact with controversial social media personality, Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky, regarding legal troubles Bobrisky faced earlier this year. The confirmation comes in the wake of a viral audio recording where Bobrisky alleged that Falz and his father, renowned lawyer Femi Falana, helped him navigate legal challenges related to money laundering charges. Falz, in a statement available to Punch, acknowledged the communication with Bobrisky but clarified the nature of their interaction. “Contrary to the sensational claims in the audio recording,…

Monday Okpebholo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has emerged victorious in the Edo State governorship election held on Saturday. According to the final results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, Okpebholo secured a total of 291,667 votes, surpassing his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 247,655 votes. With these results, Okpebholo is expected to be officially declared the winner of the election. However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised concerns about the accuracy of the results. The party has appealed to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu,…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has extended warm birthday wishes to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on the occasion of the 64th birthday celebration In a congratulatory message available to The New Daily Prime, “The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) joins in celebrating the birthday of Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu. On this special occasion, we extend our heartfelt wishes for her continued health, happiness, and success in her role as a leader and advocate for the people of Nigeria”. The message read further “As First Lady, Mrs. Tinubu has shown a strong commitment to…

In a stunning upset that sent shockwaves through the boxing world, Daniel Dubois knocked out former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in the fifth round, retaining his IBF heavyweight title in front of a record-breaking crowd of over 98,000 fans. After the knocked out, Dubois, who retained his IBF champion, roared to the crowd, “This is my time, my redemption story. I’m not going to stop until I reach my full potential.” Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davison, admitted that their gameplan went “spectacularly wrong.” He explained, “We tried to capitalize on that [Dubois’ early aggression], but for whatever reason, things didn’t…

The Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria (CORAN), has asserted that the price of petrol produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery could fall below N600/litre with the right government interventions. Following his discussion with the Sunday Punch, the news is available for the New Daily Prime. Idoko argues that the current N898/litre price, which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) claims it paid for Dangote petrol, is inflated due to the fluctuating exchange rate. He suggests that pegging the exchange rate at N1,000/$ for locally produced petroleum products could cause this price to plummet to…

In a major step towards boosting regional integration and economic growth in West Africa, heads of member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened in Lagos on Saturday to finalize the design of the $15 billion Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway Development Project. This ambitious infrastructure initiative will link five West African nations—Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire—via a 1,068-kilometer highway, significantly enhancing trade and connectivity across the region. The meeting, chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, focused on advancing the project to the procurement phase, with construction slated to begin in 2025. Umahi highlighted…

A leading financial expert has painted a bright picture for Nigeria’s economic future, forecasting a robust 3.5% growth rate by 2026 that would propel the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to an impressive $400 billion. Bismarck Rewane, Managing Director and CEO of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, shared this optimistic outlook at the Access Bank Customer Forum in Lagos on Thursday 19, September 2024. “The Nigerian economy is on track to becoming the second largest in sub-Saharan Africa,” Rewane confidently asserted. He attributed this projected growth to several factors, including an increasingly efficient foreign exchange auction system and a significant boost…

Edo State, Nigeria — Less than 24 hours before the highly anticipated Edo Governorship Election, federal lawmaker Henry Okojie narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in what is believed to be a politically motivated attack. Okojie, who represents the Esan North-East/Esan South-East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, is also the husband of popular Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson. The attack occurred at Okojie’s residence when gunmen, believed to be political thugs, attempted to storm the property. The assailants arrived in a Lexus GX 470 with a Rivers State license plate number—PHC 253 FF—and gained entry by posing as law enforcement officers.…

New evidence has emerged indicating that COVID-19 originated from a “wet market” in Wuhan, China, rather than from a laboratory experiment, as was initially claimed by the FBI Director Christopher Wray’s comments. Researchers tested genetic samples from animals sold at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in late 2019 and found traces of the coronavirus in certain species. The study involved 800 samples collected in and around the market starting on January 1, 2020, shortly after its closure. Additionally, the research team analysed genetic material from early COVID-19 patients. Their results identified animals such as raccoon dogs, civets, and bamboo rats…