Author: New Daily Prime

A group of supporters has called for the release of former Ooni of Ife’s queen, Naomi Silekunola, and the Chief Executive Officer of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, who are currently held in connection with the tragic stampede at a funfair in Ibadan, Oyo State, on December 18, 2024. Silekunola and Hamzat, along with Fasasi Abdullahi, the Principal of Islamic High School where the event took place, were remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre following a court order issued on Tuesday, December 24 by Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi of Magistrate’s Court 1, sitting in Iyaganku, Ibadan. The stampede reportedly resulted in…

The University of Abuja has firmly denied allegations of bias and irregularities in its ongoing selection process for a new Vice-Chancellor, following protests by senior professors who criticised the procedure as “flawed.” Reports from PUNCH Online on Tuesday revealed that some senior academics at the university had raised concerns over the selection process, accusing the institution of favouritism. The controversy erupted following the exit of the university’s former VC, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, on July 1, 2024, after which the search for his successor commenced. During Na’Allah’s tenure, he had initiated the process to appoint a new VC before stepping down.…

Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited, has explained that the recent reduction in petrol prices was a direct response to the dynamics of market forces. The price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, was reduced to N899.50 per litre at Dangote’s loading gantry, following a shift in the competitive landscape of the downstream sector. In a candid interview featured in an Arise TV documentary, Dangote elaborated on the price reduction, noting that the move was primarily driven by the market. He also emphasised that, as the owner of the multi-billion dollar refinery, it is his duty…

Mrs. Funmilayo Ogunseyi, the mother of Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, has called on President Bola Tinubu and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene in her daughter’s legal troubles following a tragic stampede in Ibadan that claimed the lives of 35 children. Silekunola, along with two other individuals, was arraigned before the Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan in connection with the incident, which occurred during a funfair event last week. The court ordered that the accused be remanded in prison, facing charges of conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities…

The World Bank has announced the suspension of several loan fees to alleviate the financial burden on vulnerable nations, in a move aimed at making borrowing more accessible for countries facing significant economic challenges. The decision is part of the Bank’s broader efforts to bolster financial support and tackle urgent global issues such as climate change, inequality, and economic instability. The announcement was made via a post on the Bank’s official X handle on Tuesday, providing details about the measures taken to reduce costs for developing nations. According to the post, the World Bank has removed the prepayment premium on…

Nigerian children share Christmas wishes, from toys and gadgets to family experiences and gifts for loved ones, reflecting creativity, generosity, and the true spirit of Christmas amidst economic challenges As the festive season unfolds globally, children in Nigeria are sharing their heartfelt Christmas wishes. Children across Nigeria are eagerly penning their letters to Santa Claus, hoping to receive their heart’s desires this holiday season. The New Daily Prime conducted random interviews with children from Agege (Lagos State), Kuba (FCT Abuja), Calabar Street (Kaduna) , Rumukoro, Port Harcourt, Owerri (Imo State) and Airport road (Enugu State) through telephone calls arranged with…

Workers in the employ of the Lagos State University, LASU, operating under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, have suspended their industrial following the meeting of two or three of their demands by the state government.The workers are the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions, NASU.In a statement by the workers, signed by Prof. Ibrahim A. Bakare, Chairman, ASUU-LASU, Comrade Oluwaseyi Lawal, Chairman, SSANU-LASU,, Comrade Olujimi Adejo, Chairman, NAAT-LASU, and Comrade Obafemi Sanni,,…

With Nigeria rated as having the highest number of Out-School-Children, OSC, in the world, with estimate at about 20.5 million, the figure is not coming down soon, as the harsh economic condition in the country is aggravating the situation. This is just as the rate of Learning Poverty is also not receding. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) defines learning poverty as a child’s inability to read and understand simple text by age 10. The Learning Poverty Indicator (LPI) is used to measure learning poverty. The LPI combines the percentage of children who haven’t achieved minimum reading proficiency…

By Alade Adisa The Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has decried the level of hunger and poverty in the country, saying it has become unbearable and that governments at all levels should take urgent actions to address the menace.The group, which consists of opposition parties in the country, noted that the high level hunger and poverty was the main cause of the stampedes that occurred recently in some parts of the country where many people died while waiting to be given palliative.In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Chinyere Oge-Kalu, it also joined millions of Christians in…

In a disturbing turn of events, suspected political thugs stormed the Oredo Local Government Area secretariat in Edo State on Monday, forcibly preventing Chairman Tom Obaseki from accessing his office. Armed and chanting war songs, the hoodlums occupied strategic positions within the secretariat, prompting Obaseki to retreat. Obaseki, who had resumed work following a recent Edo State High Court ruling that nullified his suspension, expressed concern over the escalating situation. “I came here to continue my work as elected chairman of Oredo Local Government. I met a whole lot of thugs who have already overtaken the council. This is a…