Category: News

The abductors of Kaduna-Abuja train passengers, on Friday, released a 90-year-old woman, alongside her daughter, two other persons. They were among the over 60 victims held hostage by kidnappers,in their Forest since March 2022. Confirming the release of the victims, the Publisher of Desert Herald, who is also the negotiator of victims held hostage, Tukur Mamu, said, “I can confirm that earlier on Friday, four additional victims of the train attack were released by their abductors.” He said the four released victims left his office not quite long ago, adding…

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Finally, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Friday have opened discussions for peace and reconciliation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital. The committee set up for that purpose consists members drawn from both Atiku and Wike’s strategic teams. The meeting took place in Government House, in the state metropolis. Those from the Atiku’s team comprised the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri; Hon. Adamu Waziri and Hon. Eyitayo Jegede. While Wike’s team were former Attorney General of the…

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  Nigerians who are stranded in the United Arab Emirates are currently undergoing profiling ahead of their evacuation to Nigeria.   In a viral video, thousands of people were seated in an open area with their bags and luggage following the mass deportation of aliens being carried out by the UAE authorities.   The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who briefed journalists in Abuja on Friday, said the profiling being carried out by the Nigerian Consulate in Dubai was necessary to properly get detailed information about the Nigerians…

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  Nigeria’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is set to introduce shortcodes, a USSD code for easier transactions with the digital currency, eNaira.   CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, disclosed this during the eNaira Hackathon grand finale in Abuja.   He revealed that Nigerians can now subscribe to digital currency using shortcodes as it will soon “become part of our lives”. Emefiele noted that approximately 8 million users are targeted. The first phase of the launch was focused on banked users, while the second phase centred around financial…

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  Emmanuel Osodeke, president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), says lecturers will not give a backlog of lectures if the federal government fails to pay their salary in arrears.   ASUU has been on strike since February 14 to protest the non-implementation of its demands by the federal government.   In a chat with The Punch on Thursday, the president of the union reacted to a statement by Adamu Adamu, minister of education, that the federal government will not concede to ASUU’s demands for the payment of…

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  Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi, says Nigeria is not mature enough for state governments to have control of the police.   Bello said governors can be “ruthless and reckless” if given such power.   In recent years, governors and key stakeholders have been at the forefront of the clamour for state policing.   Last year, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, said the resources expended on security could be used to fund state police.   Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had also argued that a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria needs state police…

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has kicked against the decision of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to revoke the licenses of 52 broadcast stations in Nigeria. Recall that NBC had revoked the broadcast licences of Silverbird TV, AIT, Raypower FM, and Rhythm FM, amongst others. The Director-General of the NBC, Mallam Balarabe Shehu, who made the disclosure on Friday, said the development followed the failure of the media houses to renew their broadcast licences. Reacting, SERAP in a tweet threatened to sue NBC if they do not reverse the…

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  The government in Japan has launched a new campaign aimed at encouraging youths in the country to drink more alcohol. In a blog post, the country’s National Tax Agency (NTA) said the initiative followed a drastic fall in tax revenues from alcoholic beverages. According to the agency, alcohol consumption in the country fell from an average of 100 litres a person a year in 1995 to 75 litres in 2020. A report by Japan Times also showed that taxes on alcohol accounted for 1.7% of Japan’s tax revenue in 2020, down from 3% in…

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  The President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, revealed that he has directed that the Orosanye White Paper Report be subjected to immediate review for the Federal Government to implement its general recommendation.   Buhari who revealed that the review is about to be completed said its implementation would bring some fundamental changes to the structure of the Civil Service.   According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said this when he received the Central Working Committee of the Association of Senior…

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  The Labour Party in Delta State has called on Nigerians to give Peter Obi chance come 2023 general election, insisting that he (Obi) has the capacity to fix insecurity that is currently facing Nigeria.   The Labour Party candidate for Delta North senatorial district, Ken Kamma, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Asaba on the chance of Peter Obi.   While lamenting the danger of voting wrong people, Kamma said the future of Nigeria was in the collective hands of Nigerians, hence the nation should not be handed…

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