Category: Government

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to the media to change the tone, content, and standards of reporting issues of security and safety in Nigeria. According to a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Monday, Buhari appealed that the term “rising insecurity” should be replaced with the “reality of declining insecurity.” The statement was titled, ‘President Buhari Felicitates With Muslims On Eid-el-Maulud, Reassures That Significant Gains Are Being Made In Combating Insecurity.’ It partly read, “The President urges Muslims to…

Colin Powell, a US war hero and the first Black secretary of state who saw his legacy tarnished when he made the case for war in Iraq in 2003, has died of complications from Covid-19. He was 84. “We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American,” the family said in a statement posted to social media on Monday. The retired four-star general and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who served four presidents made his reputation as a man of honor distant…

Effort by Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, Commandant-General,  Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps to halt corrupt practices within the para military agency has certainly incurred the wrath of some NSCDC contractors who have resorted to threatening his life via phone calls, text messages and voice recorded messages. The embittered contractors are hell bent in sustaining the old order of ‘’business as usual’’ which had triggered negative impact, especially on the finances and efficient administration of the Corps in the recent past. The embittered contractors are not alone in their resistance…

The United Kingdom has announced that fully vaccinated travellers from Nigeria to England will not need to take a pre-departure test, undertake a day 8 test or self-isolate for 10 days as previously required, with effect from Monday, October 11. This policy, it said, applies to those fully vaccinated with AstraZeneca (including Covidshield), Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. In a statement on Thursday titled, ‘UK changes travel rules for fully vaccinated travellers from Nigeria,’ the British High Commission said the traveller must also have a valid proof of vaccination…

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that it lost a fighter jet Sunday afternoon but revealed how one of its pilots survived the air crash after an attack by bandits on the boundaries of Zamfara and Kaduna State. National Infinity had reported a missing military aircraft “somewhere in Kaduna” yesterday but military authorities did not confirm the mishap. In a statement signed on Monday by Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the pilot identified as Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo survived after he successfully ejected from…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, will on Thursday, 1st of July, make a public presentation of a reviewed Tourism Master Plan and a Tourism Policy to guide the activities of the State Government and stakeholders in the sector on all tourism related activities in the State for the next couple of years. The public presentation of the reviewed Tourism Master Plan and a Tourism Policy event is supported by Sterling Bank Plc. and will hold at Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. In a Statement Released on Monday through…

The Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has issued seven queries on the audited accounts of the Nigerian Ports Authority in 2017. The queries include standalone financial statements, non-current assets (depreciation, addition to fixed assets, property, plant and equipment, and interest in joint ventures), current assets (cash and cash equivalent, trapped fund in Enterprise Bank, inventories, trade receivables, etc.), liabilities, statement of profit and loss, and other comprehensive income, expenditures and administrative expenses. The Auditor General, Adolphus Aghughu, in an audit report sent to the National Assembly, dated May…

Two former service chiefs, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin and Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai have been posted to Nigeria’s missions abroad. Former Defence Chief, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (retd.), was named the Head of Mission to Cameroon while ex-Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (retd.), was posted as Ambassador to the Benin Republic. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, according to a statement by the Information Officer in the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, presented letters of credence to the ex-service chiefs, during a brief ceremony in Abuja. He said,…

Which one is Iberiberism again o? What kind of English shall we not hear in this country? Well, the word is not regular English language, neither is it my creation. The copyright belongs to former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, who created something being fast accepted in English from the Igbo word, Iberibe, meaning foolery, trickery, or stupidity. It is the act of being deceitful or untrue. Okorocha engaged in neologism when he created the word Iberiberism, and used it to describe political foolery and trickery or stupidity. Let’s divert…

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has restated the need for the country to regulate the social media. Mohammed spoke at the House of Representatives during a public hearing organised by the Hon. Odebunmi Dokun-led committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values, saying it would be in the best interest of the citizenry to monitor social media contents. The move according to observers of the media industry will lead to massive job loss as a result of anticipated shut down of several online outfits and at the same…

The Nigerian Army has announced the redeployment of 11 Generals and other senior officers in a major shakeup, following the appointment of the new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj.-Gen. Farouk Yahaya. The redeployment is coming few days after 29 Generals, who are seniors to the COAS, were reportedly retired. A statement on Thursday in Abuja by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, reads: “The Nigerian Army has released postings and appointments of senior officers. This is in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision to have a…

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, on Thursday met with major-generals, Air vice Marshals and the rear admirals who are members of the Regular Course 36 and senior to the new Chief of Army Staff, Major General Farouk Yahaya. The meeting was convened with a view to tactically easing out no fewer than 70 major generals, AVMs and rear admirals out of the service, The PUNCH can authoritatively report. The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had skipped 29 major-generals and appointed Yahaya who is a member of Regular Course…

The Federal Government has officially open a bid for value-added concession under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) on 12 highways. According to a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Boade Akinola, the exercise would be witnessed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and relevant partners and stakeholders. The affected roads for privatisation consist of Benin-Asaba; Abuja-Lokoja; Kaduna-Kano; Onitsha-Owerri-Aba; Saagamu-Benin and Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga. The rest are Lokoja-Benin; Enugu-Port Harcourt; Ilorin-Jebba; Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta; Lagos-Badagry and Kano-Shuari-Portiskum-Damaturu.

Nigeria’s attorney general Abubakar Malami Saturday said the country will prosecute those who flout the government order to deactivate operations of twitter in the West African nation. Nigeria announced on Friday that it has suspended Twitter from operating in the country after a face-off between the authorities and the social media giant escalated earlier in the week. The ban came into effect on Saturday with millions of users blocked from accessing the site. Many young Nigerians are, however, circumventing the ban by using virtual private networks (VPN). Malami’s statement was,…

Nigeria’s Federal Government on Friday announced the suspension of Twitter operations in the country indefinitely. Nigeria’s information and culture minister Lai Mohammed announced Twitter’s suspension in a statement by his media aide Segun Adeyemi. The statement announcing Twitter’s ban was announced on Twitter via Nigeria’s ministry of information and culture Twitter handle. “The Federal Government has suspended, indefinitely, the operations of the microblogging and social networking service, Twitter, in Nigeria,” Mohammed said. The Nigerian government’s spokesman cited “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining…

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as his special envoy with cabinet rank status, to Chad and the Lake Chad Basin Region. According to a statement signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, the appointment of a special envoy by the President is in line with the resolution of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission Member Countries, on the situation in Chad on the 25th of May, 2021‘ Mustapha…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed that about 7, 000 persons were affected by recent bandit attacks in Sabon Birni and Isa Local Government Areas of Sokoto State. A joint assessment carried out by staff of NEMA and Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), established that about 6,200 of the affected persons are currently living in camps and host communities at Sabon Birni Primary School and Isa town in Sokoto State, as well as neighbouring Shinkafi town, in Zamfara State, respectively. The Head of NEMA’s Sokoto Operations Office,…

The President, Muhammad Buhari has appointedMajor General Farouk Yahaya as the new Chief of Army Staff. Yahaya succeeds Lt. General Ibrahim Attahiru, who died last Friday in an Air Force plane crash.. Yahaya’ s appointment was announced today by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, acting Director Defence Information Prior to his appointment, Major General Yahaya was the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army. He is also the incumbent Theatre Commander of the Counter Terrorism Counter Insurgency military outfit in the North East, code named Operation HADIN KAI.

Mr Ahmed Idris, the Accountant General of the Federation has denied an earlier claim that the Federal Government has returned £4.2 million loot recovered from former Governor James Ibori to Delta State Government. Idris, had disclosed on Tuesday before the House of Representatives Committee on Recovered Assets, in Abuja, that the funds had been released to the oil rich state. The Delta State government had however denied receiving the funds. A statement from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) on Wednesday said: “ The statement read, “The…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) deeply commiserates with the Nigerian Army over the death its gallant Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru in an air crash, in Kaduna, on Friday.According to NEMA Director, General AVM. Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd.), “The untimely death of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, in an air crash in Kaduna, on Friday, is shocking”. The NEMA Director General also condoles with the Nigerian Airforce and families of the other brave service men and air crew that perished in the crash…

Tears flow freely as ambulances conveying the remains of some of the military officers who died in the Beachcraft 350 aircraft that crashed at the Kaduna International Airport on Friday have arrived at the premises of the Nigerian Air Force Protestant Church for the funeral prayer. Families of Brigadier General Olayinka, Flying Lt Asaniyi, Flying Lt AA Olufade, Sergeant Adesina and ACM Oyedepo are at the service.

Bodies of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and 10 others who died in a Beachcraft 350 aircraft that crashed at the Kaduna International Airport on Friday have arrived Abuja, the federal capital, for burial. Corpses of the late officers were received at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja about 11am. They were being moved to the National Mosque and the Nigerian Air Force Protestant Church venues of funeral prayers amidst tight security. The crash claimed all 11 souls onboard including Attahiru.…

FG Gives Passport Issuing Centres May 31 Ultimatum To Clear Application Backlog; Request For New Passport Starts June 1 All Passport Issuing Centres in Nigeria have been directed to clear existing backlog of applications on or before 31st May, 2021. A press statement from the Public Affairs Department of the Nigeria Immigration Service on Tuesday, 18 May, 2021 confirmed this directive. According to the statement, “requests for fresh and/or re-issue shall not be entertained with effect from 18th May 2021-31st May 2021 in all centres except for locations in the…

The Kaduna State Government has declared the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, and others wanted. Wabba had on Monday led workers in the state on a warning strike to force the state Governor, Malam Nasir El-rufai, to rescind his decision to sack workers in the state. The action by NLC led to the grounding of economic and social activities in the state with workers in the railway, aviation, medical sector and others joining the protest staged by the Congress. Reacting, Governor El-rufai, in a tweet yesterday, said…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at the weekend, distributed relief materials to 1,112 households devastated by a windstorm that swept through four communities in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State. Ogomogom, Akorofono, Nkarasi and Abinti communities in Ikom LGA bore the brunt of the windstorm which pulled off roofs, destroyed houses with loss of properties. NEMA Director General AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd), who flagged off the relief distribution at Ikom LGA Secretariat, sympathized with the affected persons, noting the relief items were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari…

President Muhammadu Buhari has departed Abuja for Paris, France, on a four-day official visit to attend the African Finance Summit. Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Saturday. According to him, the summit will focus on reviewing the African economy following shocks from the Coronavirus pandemic and getting relief, especially from the increased debt burden on countries. He added that the summit, to be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, would draw major stakeholders in the global financial…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has commenced direct distribution of relief materials to 24,925 household of displaced persons affected by banditry in 14 Local Government Areas of Niger State.  Director General of NEMA AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (rtd.) flagged off the relief distribution in Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro Local Government Area of the state.  The NEMA DG who was represented by the Head of Minna Operations Office, Hajiya Zainab Ahmad Saidu sympathised with the affected persons and said the relief materials approved by President Muhammadu Buhari were delivered to…

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday and Thursday as public holidays to mark the 2021 Eid-ul-Fitr celebration. The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government on Monday. A statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, quoted Aregbesola as congratulating the Muslim faithful on the occasion. He also called “all Nigerians, at home and abroad to use the period of this year’s Eidul-Fitr celebration to pray for peace, stability and economic transformation in the land”. Aregbesola, who…

President Muhammadu Buhari approved the suspension of the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, to allow for investigation into allegations against her, an official has said. This was disclosed Thursday night by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu. Ms Bala-Usman, an ally of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was first appointed as the NPA MD in 2016. Her tenure was renewed for another five years in January this year. Mr Shehu did not disclose details of the allegations against Ms Bala-Usman but said Mohammed Koko has been appointment…