Author: Halimah Olamide
Halimah Olamide Holds a degree in History and Education. She also holds professional certificates in graphics and passionate about reporting issues of politics, economy, and gender
The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has fixed N8.7 million as the Hajj fare for the intending pilgrims from Southern States and N8.3 million for those from Borno and Adamawa Zone. The Executive Chairman of NAHCON, Prof. Abdullahi Usman, made this known in a statement by its Assistant Director, Information and Publication, Mrs Fatima Usara, on Monday in Abuja. Usman also said that intending pilgrims from the Northern Zone would pay N8.4 million as Hajj fare for the 2025 pilgrimage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The NAHCON boss described the hajj fare as a product of extensive collaboration…
The first 90 Palestinian prisoners to be released by Israel under the terms of the Gaza ceasefire deal were freed hours after an agreement took effect on Sunday. The prisoners’ release deal is aimed at halting the fighting that has devastated the coastal territory, local media cited Israeli authorities as confirming. Local media outlets, including the Times of Israel, cited the prison authority as confirming the release, saying that most of the freed prisoners were women and minors. The majority of the detainees come from the West Bank, while others are from East Jerusalem, according to the reports. Palestinian media…
Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as the president of the United States in Washington on Monday, returning to the White House for a second term four years after his initial re-election bid ended in defeat. Trump, a Republican, will replace outgoing President Joe Biden in the top U.S. political office at noon (1900 GMT), two and a half months after defeating outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential election. Biden had defeated Trump in 2020, but stepped aside as the Democratic candidate mid-campaign in July amid intense concerns about his age and mental fitness. Trump,…
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday told his supporters that he wants Chinese-owned short-form video app TikTok to be at least 50 per cent owned by U.S. investors. On the eve of his swearing-in, Trump told a rally in Washington that he would allow the app to continue operating in the U.S., “but let the United States of America own 50 per cent of TikTok.” “TikTok is worth nothing, zero without an approval,” to operate, Trump said. “If you do approve, they’re worth like a trillion dollars, they’re worth some crazy number. “I’m approving on behalf of the United States, so…
Dangote Refinery has refuted claims of its alleged involvement in the hike in petrol pump prices. This was contained in a statement by the Group’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, on Sunday. The statement attributed the recent adjustment in ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) to the significant increase in global crude oil prices. “As crude remains the primary input in the production of PMS, any fluctuation in its international price inevitably impacts the cost of the finished product. “At Dangote Petroleum Refinery, we recognise the critical importance of affordable fuel for all Nigerians, and…
Following the death of a toddler in its swimming pool, the Lagos State Government has closed Smiley Kids Montessori School on Heritage Place Estate, Sangotedo, . This was contained in a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Kayode Sutton, on Saturday. According t him, the school was shut down on Friday. Sutton stated that the closure was to enable the government to carry out preliminary investigations into the death of the two-year-old female pupil. He said that the government was deeply pained by the death and had extended condolences to…
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Saturday expressed sorrow over the victims of the tragic tanker explosion at Dikko Junction along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Niger State. In a statement issued by its Chairman, Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, the forum described the explosion, which claimed over 50 lives and left many others injured, as a heartbreaking tragedy. AbdulRazaq stated that the incident had cast a shadow of grief over the entire nation. He called for the urgent enforcement of safety measures, particularly concerning the transportation and handling of combustible materials across Nigeria. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the…
For online sensation Erika Thompson, TikTok is the most powerful social media platform to educate her 11 million followers about her life’s passion: bees. The loss of the platform in the US – made more likely after the Supreme Court upheld a ban that is set to be enacted next week – will be “substantive” financially for Ms Thompson, a Texas beekeeper, but it is also a loss of an educational tool. “There are a lot of other people on the platform offering educational content or informative content,” she told the BBC. “That’s the biggest loss and that’s what should…
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the commitment of the President Bola Tinubu administration to driving economic growth and transforming the nation’s healthcare system. Shettima said this when he hosted Mr Mark Maloney, the Chair of the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday. The Vice-President commended the contributions of Rotary International and other stakeholders to Nigeria’s development. “President Bola Tinubu is fully committed to repositioning the Nigerian nation. “He is a revolutionary leader who has made far-reaching decisions for the betterment of this country, decisions unmatched in contemporary history,” he said. He…
Agency Report Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Friday paid a condolence visit to the families of slain soldiers in Maiduguri, Borno. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the soldiers died during a recent terrorist attack in Damboa, Borno, even though they successfully repelled the attack. In the wake of the tragic event, President Bola Tinubu called for a thorough investigation to uncover the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident. The President extended his condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, saying their sacrifice in defending the nation will forever be honoured and remembered. Tinubu also commended the…